3 Choppers downed in Mt. Kenya forest, 1 makes it through
http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/634057- ... known.html
UPDF helicopters crash in Kenya, fate of crew unknownPublish Date: Aug 13, 2012
One of such helicopters in the Ugandan airspace. File photo
newvision
By Vision Reporter
Two of the missing Ugandan attack helicopters which went off the radar on Sunday as they flew to Somalia to shore up the final attack on the port city of Kismayu have been sighted after crashing
The military said four helicopters left a base in Soroti in Eastern Uganda headed for Eldoret with 28 air force officers on board. The fate of ten crew members is unknown.
"The choppers left Soroti on Sunday for Eldoret. They landed successfully. They then left Eldoret for Nanyuki where they were scheduled to refuel before flying to Garissa. The choppers arrived in Nanyuki at 4pm. After that they headed for Garissa and were expected to land at 6pm,” UPDF spokesman Felix Kulayigye said on Monday.
Kulaigye said it was only helicopter number Mi17 that landed successfully in Garissa but reported to have lost contact with the rest of the helicopters.
“One chopper made an emergency landing with no fatalities. However the other two could not be traced,” he said.
Kenya's Police spokesman Eric Kiraithe said in a brief statement: "One has been sighted on Mt Kenya and another in Meru area. We are still trying to find out finer details of the crash and the search and rescue missions are on-going."
Last week the Uganda People’s Defence Air Force for the first time sent a contingent of ace pilots to support the ongoing AU peace operations in Somalia.
The air force would provide aerial escort for convoys, reconnaissance operations along the supply routes, medical evacuation, air search and rescue as well as aerial combat against the al-Shabaab in Mogadishu.
The contingent of airmen and women and helicopters was flagged off by the chief of defence forces Gen. Aronda Nyakairima and the commander of the air force Gen. Jim Owoyesigire.
Aronda handed over the AU flag to the contingent commander Lt. Col. Chris Kaija.
Then, Gen. Owoyesigire said that the utility helicopters would be used to support the ground troops in line with the unapproved mandate for troops deployed in Somalia under the African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
Ugandan troops form the backbone of the AMISOM in Somalia.