UGANDAN CHOPPERS ALL FOUR NOW FOUND
Posted on
Aug 13, 2012
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A fleet of the Ugandan attack helicopters which were flagged off at Entebbe Military Airbase last week.
The Ugandan military has said it can account for all of its four attack helicopters that went missing on Sunday while flying on Kenyan airspace on their way to Somalia.
All the 28-crew members of the four helicopters are safe.
The four helicopters were headed to Somalia to shore up the final attack on the port city of Kismayu. Only one helicopter landed safely at the Kenyan base in Wajir. One crash landed on Mt. Kenya, while two crash-landed in Garissa. The Kenyan and Ugandan military launched a joint rescue operation on Monday morning, which is said to have been affected by the bad weather around the Mt. Kenya region. (READ: Poor weather hinders search for Uganda's missing helicopters)
Ugandan military spokesperson Col. Felix Kulayigye confirmed to reporters, waiting for an address from Ugandan Defence minister Dr. Crispus Kiyonga, that all the crew on the MI-24 and the MI-23 attack helicopters are safe.
Eastern PPO Marcus Ochola confirmed earlier on Monday that the rescue team had sighted the helicopter that crash-landed on Mt. Kenya but had yet to reach the site.
“One of the helicopters has been sighted on top of Mt. Kenya and there are survivors,” said Mr Ochola.
The search team comprised of officers from the Kenya Airforce, Kenya Army, Kenya Police, KWS and the Kenya Forest Service.The search had been extended to Ukasi in Mwingi, Masinga, Laikipia and Kora.
Helikopta tatu za kijeshi za Uganda zimeanguka katika maeneo ya mlima Kenya wakati zilipokua njiani kuelekea Somalia. Hali mbaya ya hewa imelaumiwa kudhoofisha juhudi za utafutaji na uokoaji, kwa mujibu wa msemaji wa idara ya Ulinzi ya Kenya.
Mmoja wa marubani wa helikopta hizo ameweza kuwasiliana na kikosi cha uokoaji. Idadi ya watu waliokuwemo kwenye helikopta hizo na idadi ya walionusurika bado hazijafahamika. Maofisa hawakusema kama helikopta hizo zimeanguka kutokana na kushambuliwa, hali ya hewa, au hitilafu ya mitambo.
Msemaji wa Idara ya Ulizi ya Kenya, Bogita Ongeri, amesema kwamba wanasubiri hali ya hewa iboreke ili waweze kuimarisha juhudi za utafutaji na uokoaji.
Ongeri alisema helikopta nne ziliondoka Entebbe Uganda kuelekea Somalia ili kuimarisha vikosi vya kulinda amani vya Umoja wa Afrika vilivyopo vitani na waasi wa Al Shabaab, lakini ni moja tu iliyotua katika mji Garissa karibu na mpaka na Somalia.
Mmoja wa marubani wa helikopta hizo ameweza kuwasiliana na kikosi cha uokoaji. Idadi ya watu waliokuwemo kwenye helikopta hizo na idadi ya walionusurika bado hazijafahamika. Maofisa hawakusema kama helikopta hizo zimeanguka kutokana na kushambuliwa, hali ya hewa, au hitilafu ya mitambo.
Msemaji wa Idara ya Ulizi ya Kenya, Bogita Ongeri, amesema kwamba wanasubiri hali ya hewa iboreke ili waweze kuimarisha juhudi za utafutaji na uokoaji.
Ongeri alisema helikopta nne ziliondoka Entebbe Uganda kuelekea Somalia ili kuimarisha vikosi vya kulinda amani vya Umoja wa Afrika vilivyopo vitani na waasi wa Al Shabaab, lakini ni moja tu iliyotua katika mji Garissa karibu na mpaka na Somalia.
