Teams still searching for two missing bodies in chopper crash

Rescue and search efforts are still underway at the Lake Nakuru to retrieve the wreckage of a helicopter that crashed into the lake last month killing five people on board.

This comes even as divers from the Kenya Navy and Sonko Rescue Team on Friday recovered the body of a female passenger bringing to three the number of bodies recovered from the scene since the accident happened.

However two bodies are still missing after more than four weeks of search.

The National Disaster Operation Center (NDOC) is coordinating the multi-agency operation that has taken longer than expected.

NDOC said some of the challenges being encountered by the search and rescue teams are poor visibility in the lake due to dirty water, wide search area, presence of wild animals, and weather among others.

The operation, led by the Kenya Navy involves eight search teams including personnel from the National and Nakuru County Governments, Bomet County Government Disaster Management Unit and Divers, National Police Service, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Red Cross Society Divers, Mike Sonko Rescue Team Divers and Department of Geology.

The helicopter crashed into the lake a few minutes after take-off from Jarika Hotel on the 21st of last month killing all five on board.

The five who were in the ill-fated helicopter included Apollo Malowa the pilot, Veronicah Muthoni, Sam Gitau, John Mapozi and Anthony Kipyegon who were part of a Jubilee campaign team in Nakuru.

No other bodies have been recovered since those of Captain Apollo Malowa and Anthony Kipyego were recovered on October 23 and most recent  Veronicah Muthoni recovered on Friday 17th November.

Those still missing are Sam Gitau and John Mapozi.