The Uganda Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has ordered a board of inquiry to investigate how and why military helicopters were dropping from the skies.
“Every time there is an accident, a board of inquiry is established to investigate the matter and they have put up one in this incident,” the Uganda head of state said.
Museveni’s statement came after more than a dozen Ugandan soldiers died in a helicopter crash in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo during take-off.
A Mi-17 helicopter that primarily serves as a means of transportation, medical evacuation, and VIP travel had just delivered a food consignment to Uganda People’s Defence Forces soldiers taking part in Operation Shujaa.
Army spokesman Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye said, “Yes, it is true one of our helicopters crashed. I haven’t received details about the causalities.”
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According to a military radio message sent out Wednesday, September 28, Uganda People’s Defence Air Force (UPDAF) Deputy Commander, Maj Gen Charles Okidi, will lead the inquiries.
Highly placed security sources, the helicopter’s tail rotor hit a tree, causing it to spin out of control and crash into troops receiving the food delivery.
Yury Vyshykvy, a Ukrainian national, was the instructor in the Monday mishap and was declared dead at the scene while Capt. Patrick Arinaitwe, a Ugandan pilot, and five other crew members sustained injuries.
The Monday crash is one in a list of military aircraft incidents in the last few years.
The worst air disaster in UPDF history, according to insiders, happened in August 2012 when seven out of 28 crew members flying to bomb the al-Shabaab in Somalia lost their lives in multiple Mi-24 helicopter crashes on Mountain Kenya. The investigation report is yet to be made public.
Read also: Museveni lands in Kenya for EAC meeting.
