KCSE: Teacher dies after being struck by helicopter blades in Garissa

A teacher died on Tuesday after being struck by helicopter blades in Masalani, Ijara, Garissa County.

According to Garissa County Commissioner Solomon Chesuti, the teacher was invigilating the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams.

The invigilator had just picked up the exam papers for the day at the deputy county commissioner's office when the accident occurred. 

Chesuti told Citizen Digital that the teacher was near the helicopter as it took off. He was then hit by the propellers. 

“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,” he said.

“We left the police to handle it and after processing the scene, the body will be released to the family for burial according to Muslim tradition.”

The latest comes just a day after two other chopper accidents in the neighbouring Wajir County. In the first accident at around noon on Monday, a helicopter carrying Arabajahan MCA Abey Jimaale crashed at the Wajir Airport runway while taking off.

Police said the MCA and two pilots on board were rushed to Wajir County Referral Hospital with injuries where they were treated and referred to Nairobi for further treatment while in stable condition

The aircraft was extensively damaged.

Late in the afternoon, a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) helicopter crashed during take-off. The chopper was supplying food items to flood-affected families in Buna Town, Wajir North.

Wajir County Red Cross Coordinator Abdia Manya said several people including the pilots and teachers sustained injuries and were taken to the Buna Sub-county Hospital.