Five Escape Wrecked Ugandan Helicopters, Two Dead
At least five Ugandan servicemen survived the crash of two army helicopters in Kenya en route to war-torn Somalia with two confirmed dead, officials said Tuesday.
"The good news is that we have managed to find five survivors and they have just been airlifted to safety," said Simon Gitau, a senior warden with the Kenya Wildlife Service, which is involved in the rescue operation.
"They are in good condition after walking away from the crash site," he added.
Three Russian-made Mi-245 combat helicopters crashed Sunday in a remote mountainous region of Kenya while flying to Somalia. One was found on Monday, with all seven servicemen on board rescued.
Wreckage of the other helicopters were found early Tuesday morning, with two dead bodies sighted in one that was still on fire, Gitau said.
Kenyan Chief of Defense Forces, General Julius Karangi told reporters that one helicopter "had been found burnt completely, and the other one hanging somewhere on the cliff."
It had earlier been reported that both aircraft had been burnt in the crash.
Fourteen servicemen in all were thought to have been aboard the two ill-fated helicopters, leaving seven people still unaccounted for.
Source: Agence France Presse
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