Pilot, tourists die in Kenyan helicopter crash

Seven people died Wednesday morning when a helicopter crashed at the foot of Mount Ololokwe in Kenya's northern Samburu County, authorities said.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that the accident involved a Eurocopter EC130 B4, which crashed at about 9:13 am local time.

All seven people aboard the helicopter, six tourists and a pilot, died, according to KCAA and authorities involved in the emergency recovery operation.

The helicopter had been operating in the Loisaba area when it crashed in the remote vicinity of Mount Ololokwe. A police report said it had been flying between Soyian, also known as Suiyan, in Laikipia County and Loisaba Conservancy.

Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife Rebecca Miano expressed condolences to the victims' families. "Multi-agency teams are currently on the ground conducting search and recovery operations," Miano wrote in a statement posted on social media.

Smoke and fire were reported at the scene, while the Kenya Red Cross said drones were being used to assess the area because the crash site was difficult to access.

The Ministry of Roads and Transport's Air Accident Investigation Department is leading investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash, while KCAA is coordinating with relevant agencies and stakeholders.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation, with investigators expected to examine the aircraft, flight path, weather conditions, communications and other factors.

The accident is the latest in a series of fatal helicopter crashes in Kenya. In February, six people, including a member of parliament, were killed when a helicopter crashed in Nandi County in the Rift Valley.

In April 2024, Kenya's former defense chief, general Francis Omondi Ogolla, and nine other people were killed when a military helicopter crashed in western Kenya. Two people survived the accident.

sharon@chinadailyafrica.com