Six Tourists and Pilot Killed in Helicopter Crash in Kenya

Six tourists and a pilot have been killed after a helicopter crashed at Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County, central Kenya, according to air accident officials.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said the crash occurred at about 9:13 a.m. local time while the helicopter was on a scenic flight from a wildlife conservancy in Loisaba to Ewaso Nyiro, a river that runs along several national reserves.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Department said the nationalities of the pilot and six passengers had not yet been confirmed.

The aircraft, identified as a Eurocopter EC130 B4, crashed at Mount Ololokwe, with images from the scene showing smoke rising from the crash site.

The Kenya Red Cross said that the crash site was not immediately accessible, while drones were being deployed to assess the area.

The KCAA said it was coordinating the response, while the Transport Ministry and the Air Accident Investigations Department are expected to lead investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Samburu County is a popular tourist destination known for its scenic landscapes and numerous private wildlife conservancies.

The latest crash adds to a series of fatal helicopter accidents in Kenya. In February, six people, including a Member of Parliament, were killed in a helicopter crash in Nandi County.

In 2024, Kenya’s military chief, General Francis Omondi Ogolla, was among 11 people on board an army helicopter that crashed in western Kenya. Only two people survived the incident.

In June 2021, at least 10 soldiers were killed when a military helicopter crashed while landing near Nairobi.