Tourist helicopter crashes in Kenya, no survivors

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A helicopter carrying several tourists crashed Wednesday in Kenya’s Samburu county, north of the capital, Nairobi, killing all those on board, an aviation source told AFP.

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“I can confirm an accident has happened, there are no survivors,” the source told AFP, without being able to say how many people were onboard.

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In a video shared on X, black smoke can be seen billowing into the sky at the foot of Mount Ololokwe, where the crash occurred.

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Mount Ololokwe, a sacred mountain for the Samburu people whose summit rises to 2,000 metres (6,560 feet) above sea level, is a popular hiking destination. Companies offer helicopter flyovers.

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The accident happened at 9:13 am local time (0613 GMT), the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said in a statement, after the aircraft left from the Loisaba wildlife reserve.

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Local media reported that the helicopter was carrying seven tourists when it crashed but their nationalities remain unknown.

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The cause of the crash has not yet been established, with the KCAA saying investigations were under way.

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The Kenya Red Cross also said that response operations were ongoing, part of a multi-agency team attempting to access the crash site.

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In March, a helicopter crash in western Kenya killed six people, including a member of parliament.

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AFP

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