Ngeno crash: Report to be released in 30 days

A preliminary report into the helicopter crash that claimed the life of Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ngeno is expected to be released within 30 days, Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir has confirmed.

The findings are anticipated to shed light on what led to the helicopter’s sudden disappearance from radar and the subsequent crash that has left the nation in mourning.

Chirchir said his ministry, through the Aircraft Accident Investigations Department (AAID) under the State Department for Aviation and Aerospace Development, has been at the crash site since Saturday and has initiated investigations into the circumstances surrounding the accident.

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“My ministry, through the Air Accident Investigations Department, has already commenced investigations to establish the cause of the crash,” Chirchir said.

Addressing the press at JKIA Sunday when he led other government officials and leaders to receive the bodies of the six, the CS said a team from the department is currently at the scene combing through the wreckage and collecting critical evidence to reconstruct the final moments of the flight.

He emphasised that the probe will strictly follow international aviation standards to guarantee transparency and credibility.

"The investigation is being conducted in accordance with the rules and standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annex 13,” he said, referring to the globally recognised framework for aircraft accident investigations. Chirchir noted that AAID has notified the State of Manufacture and Design of the aircraft, as well as ICAO, of the crash.

"The preliminary report will be issued within 30 days,” Chirchir said.

"As the minister in charge of the State Department of Transport, I wish to assure the public of the government’s commitment to air transport safety and request patience as we await the investigators’ findings.”

Chirchir reassured Kenyans that the process would be thorough, independent, and shielded from interference, focusing on technical, operational, and environmental factors that may have contributed to the crash.

The helicopter reportedly went down shortly after disappearing from radar at 4:26pm, killing Ngeno and five other occupants on board. The tragedy has sparked widespread grief, particularly in Ngeno’s Emurua Dikirr constituency, where he was serving his third term as MP.

Chirchir also urged the public to remain patient and avoid speculation while experts continue their work at the crash site, analysing flight data and other critical evidence.

The preliminary report, expected within 30 days, will provide the first official insights into the circumstances that led to one of country’s most tragic aviation incidents in recent years.