NAIROBI, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- A senior Kenyan government official and four others were injured on Monday when a Kenya Forest Service helicopter crashed during takeoff at Kericho Golf Club in western Kenya.
The helicopter, registered as 5Y-FSK, crashed on the golf course near the famous hotel in Kericho County, injuring Festus Ng'eno, principal secretary for the State Department for Environment and Climate Change in Kenya's Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry.
Kericho County Police Commander Kivindu Kilonzo confirmed that several occupants were injured and rushed to hospital in stable condition. No fatalities were reported in the initial police assessment.
Images from the scene showed the badly damaged helicopter lying on a grassy field, with its tail section severed from the main fuselage.
Emergency responders and security personnel were quickly deployed to the scene to secure the area, as aviation authorities launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The exact cause of the accident remains unknown, and investigators are working to determine what went wrong during takeoff.
Authorities are expected to provide further updates on the condition of the injured and the circumstances surrounding the crash as the investigation progresses. ■