Several Feared Dead as Plane Hits Power Line, Crashes into River Near Alton
- A plane in the Western US crashed and burst into fire on Thursday, August 7, killing two people on the spot
- The MD 369 helicopter was carrying electricity engineers working on a power line before it tumbled into a vessel on the Mississippi River
- A fire erupted from the commotion; a video shows a huge smoke billowing atop the barge after the fire engine appeared to quell the fire
Illinois - A helicopter crashed into a barge on the Mississippi River close to Alton, igniting a fire upon impact on Thursday, August 7.
Source: Twitter
Emergency responders from both Missouri and Illinois swiftly arrived at the scene following reports of the incident.
Chopper crash on Mississipi River
According to local news sources, the crash resulted in a blaze and tragically claimed the lives of two individuals aboard the aircraft.
Search option is now available at TUKO! Feel free to search the content on topics/people you enjoy reading about in the top right corner ;)
According to the authorities, no one was on the vessel during the crash.
Eyewitnesses narrated that the aircraft was working on the power lines when it tumbled toward the barge, erupting in fire.
“The helicopter was just working on these power lines, it hit the power line, blew up. There was a pilot, there was a worker, the helicopter blew up and fell and crashed the barge and it’s exploding right now," The Guardian quoted one eyewitness.
Firefighters rushed to the scene and quelled the fire, leaving huge smoke from the barge.
The aircraft was torn apart, with the wreckage spread across the water vessel.
This adds to the fatal aircraft crashes in recent days.
Why Ghanaians are mourning
In Ghana, citizens are observing three days of national mourning following a helicopter crash that killed eight government officials, among them the Defence and Environment ministers.
The chopper was headed to southern Ghana from Accra when it fell into a huge forest.
All the occupants died on the spot.
President John Mahama declared three days of uninterrupted mourning, with a state funeral for the victims slated for August 15.
6 killed in Kiambu chopper crash
Back home, an aircraft crash claimed six lives in Kiambu County.
Source: Twitter
The aircraft, a Cessna Citation XLS (5Y-FDM) operated by the AMREF Flying Doctors, was en route to Somalia when it crashed in a residential estate in Mwihoko.
All four people on board died on the spot; two others died under the house that the plane fell on.
What AMREF said after aircraft crash
AMREF chief executive officer Stephen Gitau said the plane was headed to Somalia to rescue a sick baby.
According to Gitau, the aircraft had never developed mechanical hitches.
He said the plane was subjected to high-level routine checks and maintenance, adding that the crew operating the craft was highly trained, hence the accident was not anticipated.
The aircraft came down three minutes into takeoff.
Gitau stated that the accident could only be determined from the cockpit recordings and flight data inside the plane's black box, which was lost a the accident scene.
Kiambu County Commissioner Henry Wafula confirmed the incident.
He clarified that the ill-fated aircraft was not a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) chopper after earlier reports indicated so.
Wafula said the two people killed on the ground were seated in their house when the aircraft fell over it.
AMREF confirmed that four people sustained injuries and were treated at the scene and allowed to go home.
Bus crash kills 21 in Kisumu
On Friday, August 8, a bus ferrying mourners crashed at the Coptic roundabout along the Kisumu-Kakamega highway.
The ill-fated bus failed to negotiate the roundabout and crashed off the road, killing 19 passengers on the spot. Two others succumbed to injuries in the hospital.
At least 20 were injured, with five reported to be in critical condition. They were rushed to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga's Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), where they are undergoing treatment.
Locals have called for the dismantling of the roundabout, saying it was poorly constructed and had caused several accidents that have claimed tens of lives, turning the area into a blackspot.
Several leaders sent condolences to the families of the victims.
"I extend my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the 21 Kenyans who lost their lives in the tragic accident at Coptic roundabout along the Kisumu–Kakamega road.
May the Almighty grant their souls eternal rest and comfort to their loved ones during this time of grief. I wish the injured,a swift and complete recovery. I urge all road users to exercise utmost caution, obey traffic regulations, and uphold patience and vigilance,for every journey we make, a life depends on it," said Caleb Aimisi.
The ill-fated bus belonged to AIC Naki High School.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
