Kenya’s military chief Francis Ogolla was killed alongside eight others when their helicopter crashed in western Kenya shortly after taking off on Thursday afternoon, President William Ruto said.

The helicopter came down in Elgeyo-Marakwet county, the president’s spokesman said, without going into detail on any casualties.

“President William Ruto convened an urgent meeting of the National Security Council at State House Nairobi this evening following a Kenya Defense Forces’ helicopter crash this afternoon,” Hussein Mohamed wrote on X.

Defense minister Aden Duale did not respond to Reuters’ calls to his telephone.

At least 10 soldiers were killed in June 2021 when their helicopter crashed while landing near the capital Nairobi.