In an unprecedented and devastating sequence of events, a politician‘s son was killed instantly when a helicopter crashed to the ground, crushing him to death.

Isiah Otieno was a 23-year-old student from Kenya, studying overseas, when he was walking home one day, and the unimaginable occurred.

In Cranbrook, British Columbia, he was regarded as a ‘gentle giant’, standing at six feet 9 inches tall, but back home in Kenya, he was better recognised as the son of Kenyan minister Dalmas Otieno, who revealed he had spoken to his son on the phone just an hour before his death.

Isiah was a student at the College of the Rockies in Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada. In his final moments he was making his way back to post a letter to his family back home.

However, when he stepped out to cross the street on May 13, 2008, a large helicopter plunged from the sky, striking him and bursting into flames.

It’s understood that the Bell 206 helicopter was carrying out power line inspections at the time of the freak accident before experiencing difficulties mid-air and spiralling downwards.

Witnesses saw the moments the aircraft appeared to lose control, seconds before it landed in a once-peaceful residential street.

It’s reported that several onlookers actually attempted to warn Isiah of the falling aircraft, shouting for him to move, although he appeared to be wearing earphones.

This implies that he may not only have missed their desperate warnings, but he might not have heard the helicopter crashing at all – until it was too late.

In a shocking twist of fate, one of the people who witnessed the tragedy unfold and recorded the moment of the crash from a distance on their phone was actually Isiah’s best friend. Unaware to him, the crash had just claimed the life of his closest friend, and he watched it happen.

A witness recounted what they saw on the day, saying: “It didn’t crash at a high speed. The pilot had been trying to control it, but the motor was out at that point, and he fell the last 15 feet. Unfortunately, it hit a pedestrian on the sidewalk.”

Following his tragic death, friends and family gathered to celebrate the life of the Kenyan student, as hundreds filled the college’s gym for a heartfelt memorial service.

There was a beautiful blend of African hymns and ‘hip-hop salutes’ as both communities bid farewell to Isaiah Otieno for the final time.

Nick Rubidge, the president and CEO of the college at the time, stated: “He had a wonderful, gentle nature and was an excellent ambassador for his nation.”

Sadly this unprecedented event didn’t just claim one life, but three others who were onboard the aircraft. The shock crash resulted in the death of pilot Edward Heeb, 57, as well as BC Hydro employees Dirk Rozenboom, 45, and Robert Lehmann, 37.

Following the crash, an investigation concluded that the helicopter had suffered a catastrophic engine failure, and while trying to avoid houses, the pilot did everything possible to land safely, steering clear of any homes. Instead, he brought the helicopter down into the street, striking Isiah in the process and losing his own life.

Bill Yearwood, a TSB spokesperson, previously stated that investigators were able to recover the engine, which remained largely intact, despite the enormous blaze.

This enabled them to determine the primary cause, as there was no flight data recorder on the helicopter or other crucial information available, and they were able to conclude it was engine failure that caused this tragic incident.