Helu village mourns loss of gifted son in helicopter crash

Helu, a community in Moyale, Marsabit County, is in grief after one of its famed sons, Captain Mohamed Karro Sora, was killed in a Kenya Defence Force helicopter crash in Elgeyo Marakwet on Thursday.

Mourners have been gathering at the home of the late Mzee Karro Sora to console the family of the Co-Pilot of the ill-fated helicopter who died alongside nine other military officials.

“We are in shock as the family. It’s a sad day for us. We have been following the unfolding events since afternoon with no confirmed reports. We confirmed his death this evening after the President’s speech. I have seen on television the body arriving at Embakasi Garrison,” Rahma Tache a relative of the deceased pilot told the Eastleigh Voice.

To the people of Helu and Moyale, it's not just a loss; it's a profound blow. Hussein Abdi Wako Kashan, a cousin, and friend to the fallen captain expressed the village's grief in poignant terms to the Eastleigh Voice.

“Heilu village is in a somber mood today due to the passing of our son. It’s a big blow to the people of Heilu and Moyale. Mohamed had a bright and promising future ahead in his life. That life has been cut short,” he said.

Captain Mohamed Karro Sora at the elite Starlite Aviation Training Academy in Durban, South Africa.

Reflecting on Captain Mohamed's journey from humble beginnings in the village to soaring in his military career, Hussein shared, “I used to call him by his childhood nickname Toto. He was a role model for many youths in his village Helu. We have lost a potential future General. The fact that he flew the KDF boss shows the trust they had in him and his career success and this motivated and challenged the youth of Heilu to make them believe they can also succeed if they study and work hard despite their poor background."

Captain Mohamed was born in Helu, near the border town of Moyale. He attended Helu Primary School before moving on to Moyale Junior Academy where he completed Standard 8. He received a B+ in KCSE from Moyale High School. He entered the military as a cadet and later attended Kenyatta University, where he earned a Second Class Honours Upper Division Bachelor of Science in Military and Security Studies in 2017.

Sora joined the Kenya Air Force and received training at the elite Starlite Aviation Training Academy in Durban, South Africa.

Those close to Captain Mohamed describe him as selfless and a man who would put the interests of others before his own.

“He has been taking care of his mother and siblings in Moyale ever since he lost his blind father. He was more concerned about his family than himself so much that he has nothing material to show of his achievement in life” Hussein said.

Captain Mohamed Karro Sora at the elite Starlite Aviation Training sessions in Durban, South Africa.

However, his philanthropic nature benefited individuals other than his family and Helu village. The news of Captain Mohamed's death was received with shock and sadness in the distant communities of Garsen Tana River County, approximately 810 kilometres from Moyale. Here, the military pilot was hailed as a hero for his efforts to assist hundreds of victims of the November 2023 El Nino rains in KDF relief operations.

"We were entirely cut off from the rest of the country due to the El Nino flooding. Despite his busy schedule delivering relief meals to flood victims, he saved two lives by airlifting a pregnant woman from Assa village, a remote place in the Tana River Delta sub-county, to Garsen Health Centre. He saved both her and the unborn baby's lives. "As Tana River leaders, we mourn his death and pray for him," Sheikh Abdullahi Haji Gudo, Chairman of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) Tana River County, told the Eastleigh Voice.

"On November 21, 2023, at the height of last year's El Niño, Captain Mohamed exemplified heroism. He bravely piloted a helicopter to deliver crucial relief food to the isolated Assa and Kone villages in the Garsen constituency, which were devastated and shut off from aid owing to impassable roads. Today, we mourn his untimely death in a helicopter crash. Captain Mohamed's legacy of selflessness and bravery will always inspire us," Abux Ozil stated.

Captain Mohamed Karro Sora assists a pregnant woman in labour during the Elnino relief and rescue missions in Tana River County in 2023.

Locals in the Al-Shabaab-infested Boni forest recall Captain Mohamed for his social engagement and support to communities. In November 2022, a video of Captain Sora taking time out of his busy schedule during the ongoing military campaign to offer a maths lesson to students at Milimani Primary School moved many Kenyans.

The Eastleigh Voice was able to locate a rare photograph of the Chief of Defence Forces, General Francis Ogolla, and Captain Mohamed Karro Sora shot on June 26, 2020, at the Laikipia Air Base. General Ogolla, Commander of the Kenya Air Force and Major General at the time, is pictured handing a certificate to Flying Training Graduate Lieutenant Mohamed Karro Sora at a graduation ceremony at Laikipia Air Base.

Captain Mohamed Sora with Garsen MP Ali Wario Guyo on 23 November 2022 during the KDF El-Nino rescue and relief mission in Tana River county.

Four years later, the two courageous officers, a Captain and his General, were killed in a plane crash while on duty at the Kaben-Cheptulel border between Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot counties, together with nine other military personnel. Captain Mohamed's body is expected to be transported to Moyale for burial on Friday. He leaves two widows and three children.