Only three bodies, wreckage have been retrieved Lake Nakuru

For over a month, William Ngugi has been arriving on the northern shores of Lake Nakuru, where teams involved in the search for bodies of helicopter crash victims have pitched tent.

Mr Ngugi is the father of Sam Gitau, one of the victims of the October 21 crash in the lake with five people on board. Only three bodies and the wreckage have been retrieved.

“My son’s body is yet to be recovered from the lake. I always wake up hoping that before the end of the day, I will see his body. I am usually among the last people to leave the lake in the evening,” he said.

Also missing is the body of John ‘Mapozi’ Ndirangu.

As the operation entered day 37 yesterday, Ngugi arrived at the lake a few minutes to 8am. He decided to join the search team and see for himself how the operation was being conducted.

“I asked those involved in the search operation to allow me onto their boat. With my own eyes, I have seen the challenges the divers face. The search has taken long but from what I saw, I believe they are doing their best,” said Ngugi.

He added that the wait had been a tormenting journey for him and his family, and that he had not been able to go back to his job since he learnt about the accident.

“My greatest hope is that we find the body and give my son a fitting send off,” he said.

National Disaster Operation Centre Desk Officer Jonathan Keritich clarified that the search for the bodies would continue. He refuted claims that the operation would end following the recovery of the wreckage.