Richard Leakey established Kenya as a prime source of hominid fossils
The palaeoanthropologist and conservationist died on January 2nd, aged 76
THE LITTLE Cessna had been in the air no more than ten minutes when its single engine sputtered and began losing power. Richard Leakey ramped up the fuel mixture, cutting the air intake—a mistake at that altitude. Unable to restart the engine, he found himself free-falling towards villages and schools. There were children below, waving at the plane as it came closer. He also had four passengers on board, all workers at the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), where he was director. More than himself, he had to save all those folk.
This article appeared in the Obituary section of the print edition under the headline “Homo impatiens”
From the January 15th 2022 edition
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