V-P in helicopter drama

By NATION Team 26 February 2004

V-P Awori after he arrived at Wilson Airport

Vice President Moody Awori and a group of Government VIPs yesterday escaped with their lives after their police helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing.
They stepped shaken but unhurt from the Russian-made craft after it came down in a field after developing mechanical trouble.
The pilot warned the group he would have to make a forced landing after the helicopter suddenly began to lose height. He brought it down in a field between Simba and Emali in Makueni District, near the Mombasa-Nairobi highway.
The plane started to develop problems near Kibwezi when it started descending. However the pilots struggled until they reached Strabag Construction Company's main camp along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway.
Said Mr Awori after landing safely: "We always say a short prayer before any journey we take and therefore l was all right." VIPs on board included Prisons Commandant, Principal Immigration Officer, National Youth Service director and departmental heads in the VP's Home Affairs ministry.
Speaking to the Nation on his cellphone, Mr Awori said although shaken by the incident, he had confidence that they would all survive.
"The pilot told us that the plane had a mechanical problem and that we would have to make an emergency landing. I was concerned but was fully confident of the expertise of the pilot," Mr Awori said.
He added the incident was "just one of the many that any frequent traveller expects to undergo." 
The helicopter – an Mi-17 built by the Mil company – was carrying its full complement of 24: the VP plus 17 other passengers and a crew of six.
One of the Kenya police pilots, a Superintendent Gitonga, said the engine might have to be replaced. The chopper had two other pilots and a flight attendant, all Russian.
Mr Awori was flying back to Nairobi from Coast Province where he has been on a week-long tour.
He remained at the scene for one-and-a-half hours while another helicopter was flown from Nairobi to pick him up with his entourage.
The rescue chopper arrived at the scene at 4.45 pm and the Vice President and the other passengers landed safely at Wilson Airport at 5.20 pm.
The Mi-17, built by the Russian Mil company, has two Isotov engines and was developed as a multi-role helicopter; for passengers, goods or use as a gunship in war zones when it could carry machine guns and anti-tank missiles.
Yesterday's frightening incident is likely to have brought back horrifying memories for the VP of the Busia plane crash on January 24, 2003 in which Labour minister Mohammed Khalif was killed. 
The plane was carrying MPs and Narc dignitaries from a home-coming party at Mr Awori's home in Funyula constituency.
The VP began his tour of the Coast last Friday in Tana River District where he visited an NYS camp in Bura and then the Tana Basin roads project. He went on to Hola prison before addressing a rally in the town.
Mr Awori then skipped a scheduled visit to Kilifi because he flew back to Nairobi and then on to Maseno where he attended the funeral of the first African Anglican archbishop, Dr Festo Olang.
The VP returned to the Coast on Monday where he called on the Malindi District Commissioner, immigration offices and the prison. He also visited the museum in the grounds of the Gede ruins before going to to Kilifi district where visited the prison before addressing a rally in the town.
On Tuesday, Mr Awori went to Kwale where he called on the local DC and visited the prison before heading to the border town of Lunga Lunga where he inspected immigration offices. He also addressed a public rally.
Yesterday, he began his programme by visiting NYS technical college at Mtongwe near the Navy base. He visited Likoni remand home and approved school, Shanzu probation training centre and Shimo la Tewa prison.
A scheduled afternoon rally at Tononoka grounds was cancelled and it was while flying back to Nairobi that his craft was forced down.
The VP was heading back to Nairobi ready to leave for Libya last night for a five-day official visit, when he is to represent President Kibaki at an extraordinary session of the meeting of heads of state and governments of the African Union.