Defence forces chief General Francis Omondi Ogolla was among those on board the chopper that crashed in Elgeyo Marakwet county, about 400 kilometres (250 miles) northwest of the capital Nairobi, local media reported.

There has been no official comment on whether there were casualties.

"President William Ruto has convened an urgent meeting of the National Security Council at State House Nairobi this evening following a Kenya Defence Forces' helicopter crash this afternoon in Elgeyo-Marakwet County," State House spokesman Hussein Mohamed said in a statement.