President William Ruto has confirmed the unfortunate death of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Francis Omondi Ogolla and nine other military personnel..

The servicemen plunged to their death after a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) chopper they were flying in crashed. Videos shared online indicated that the helicopter's engines caught fire before it crashed and burst into flames.

2 military officers aboard the chopper survived the crash and are currently hospitalised with critical injuries.

The other gallant military personnel who passed on are:

1. Brigadier Swale Saidi,

2. Colonel Duncan Keittany,

3. Lieutenant Colonel David Sawe,

4. Major George Benson Magondu,

5. Captain Sora Mohamed,

6. Captain Hillary Litali,

7. Senior Sergeant John Kinyua Mureithi,

8. Sergeant Cliphonce Omondi, and

9. Sergeant Rose Nyawira

General Ogolla onboard the Kenya Air Force Huey Helicopter, had left Nairobi to visit troops deployed in the North Rift under Operation Maliza Uhalifu, and to inspect the ongoing school renovations works in the following schools:

1. Chesitet Primary School,

2. Cheptulel Boys High School,

3. Chepoton Primary School,

4. Ksaa Primary School; and

5. Sablimoi Primary School.

As part of his working tour, General Ogolla had been briefed on thesecurity situation by a multi-agency team stationed at Chesitetin Baringo County, after which he proceeded to the KainukForward Operating Base in Turkana County, where he addressedtroops, commending them for their resilience and operationalsuccesses.

The CDF and his entourage departed from Kainuk to Chesegon,West Pokot County, where he launched the rehabilitation ofCheptulel Boys High School. He then departed Chesegon for theRecruits Training School in Uasin Gishu County, where he wasscheduled to inspect construction facilities at the institution.Unfortunately, the aircraft crashed shortly after take-off.