A teacher on KNEC duty as KCSE invigilator lost his life on Tuesday after he was fatally hit by engine blades as the helicopter ferrying examinations prepared for lift-off the ground.
The tragedy happened in Masalani, Ijara, Garissa County, when the invigilator came too close to the chopper as its engine gathered speed.
According to Garissa County Commissioner Solomon Chesuti, Ahmed Noor Ismail, roughly 35, deputy head teacher Masalani Primary School, had just collected exam papers for the day from the Deputy County Commissioner’s (DCC’s) office when the fatal accident occurred.
He found himself in close proximity to the propellers, which smashed and killed him on the spot.
“He was taking the papers to Masalani Secondary School, and I think he moved nearer to where the helicopter was and he was struck as it took off,” Chesuti stated.
The authorities have handed the matter over to the police for investigation and scene processing, with the teacher’s body set to be released to the family for burial according to Muslim traditions. Meanwhile, it is being preserved at Ijara Sub-county Hospital.
The unfortunate incident follows two other helicopter accidents in the neighbouring Wajir County.
The first incident involved the crash of a helicopter carrying Arabajahan MCA Abey Jimaale at Wajir Airport runway.
Later that day, a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) helicopter crashed during takeoff while delivering food supplies to flood-affected families in Buna Town, Wajir North.
The incidents left several individuals injured, underscoring the heightened concerns surrounding helicopter safety in the region.
By Viola Chepkemoi
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