Nurse recalls moments after tragic chopper crash that killed MP Ng’eno and 5 others
By Eric Mutai, March 2, 2026As flames engulfed the wreckage of the crashed chopper and heavy rain pounded the ground, the words of her lecturer echoed vividly in the mind of Jacobeth Jeptoo, a recent nursing graduate.
Speaking to People Daily Digital on Monday, March 2, 2026, Jeptoo narrated the traumatic encounter that she had to brace up and handle despite being asked to refrain from the scene by neighbours around her at the accident scene.
“I remembered my lecturer, Madam Betty, who once told us that if a patient is dying, you may not add days to their life, but you can help them die peacefully,” Jeptoo said.
That lesson guided her actions on the day a tragic chopper crash claimed six lives, including that of Johanna Ng’eno.
Jeptoo recounted that she was at home with her mother, engaged in a Bible study after missing church, when they heard a loud bang.
“It was not a normal sound,” she said. “We rushed toward the scene.”
When they arrived, the chopper was already on fire. A few men were trying desperately to put out the flames using soil. At that moment, Jeptoo said her nursing instincts immediately took over.
“I saw about four bodies. They had severe fourth-degree burns. They had already died,” she recalled.
Two other victims were still alive
“One had signs of life, while the other raised his hand but could not talk,” she said.
The first victim died within about five minutes, bleeding from the nose, mouth and ears. The second struggled for nearly 30 minutes.
“I truly believed this one could be helped,” Jeptoo said. “But the rescue team arrived after about two hours. He died helplessly in my hands.”
With no medical equipment at the scene, Jeptoo sent her brothers back home to collect bedsheets and gloves.
“All we could do was cover their bodies,” she said.
Danger posed
Despite the danger posed by the fire and the fear among bystanders, she did not retreat.
“People were telling me to stay away,” she said. “But I am trained. As much as your life comes first, if you can help somebody, please do so.”
She described the scene as deeply traumatizing.
“These were people who were healthy earlier that day. Now they were lying helplessly,” she said. “The burns were so severe you could not even tell whether someone was Black or white.”
Throughout the ordeal, Jeptoo said she leaned heavily on lessons from her training.
“My instructors always told us, ‘When you go out there, practice what you have been learning.’ I felt that moment fully,” she said. “And I remembered Madam Betty — that even when you cannot save a patient, you can help them die peacefully.”
Her courage and professionalism have since been recognized by the Nursing Council of Kenya, which publicly commended Jeptoo for her selfless response.
In its statement, the Council said her actions exemplified the commitment, compassion and resilience that define the nursing profession, even in the most harrowing circumstances. The Council also extended condolences to the families of the victims and solidarity with all frontline responders affected by the tragedy.
Jeptoo used her experience to call for systemic improvements in emergency response.
“We have poor roads, and that affects how fast help can arrive. I cannot fully blame the rescuers,” she said. “But in emergencies, response should not go beyond 10 minutes.”
She also urged communities to be trained in basic first aid and appealed to the public to stop taking and sharing photos or videos of traumatic scenes.
“Such moments should be handled with dignity,” she said.
Jeptoo recently completed her nursing studies and is currently awaiting her licensing examinations scheduled for May. She says she is ready to serve if given an opportunity.
“If I am offered work, I will do it with all my passion,” she said. “Going forward, no patient will die helplessly in my hands.”
Her mother, who followed her to the crash scene, said her daughter acted purely out of compassion.
“When we heard the loud crash, my daughter ran ahead and I followed,” she said. “We tried our best, but our efforts bore no fruit.”
She added that they did not know who the victims were at the time but conveyed their condolences to the affected families. She also appealed to authorities to allow Jeptoo to practice her profession and to support her wish to attend the funeral of the late MP to personally deliver condolences.