Lamu County, Kenya – A Kenyan military helicopter crashed during a night patrol near the Somalia border on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of all 8 personnel onboard.
The helicopter belonged to the Kenyan Air Force and went down in Lamu County, a picturesque coastal region along Kenya’s border with Somalia. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Authorities have dispatched a board of inquiry to the crash site to determine what led to the catastrophic event. The findings will be instrumental in shedding light on why the helicopter suddenly came down.
The helicopter was conducting patrols in an area where Kenyan defense forces have been battling al-Shabab extremists from Somalia. Kenya has troops stationed in Somalia as part of the African Union mission against the al Qaeda-linked group.
In recent months, al-Shabab has intensified attacks on Kenyan soil in response to military pressure in Somalia. Dozens have been killed in the border region amid discussions of withdrawing Kenyan troops as Somali forces take over security responsibilities.
