Seven Killed After Tourist Helicopter Crashes Near Mount Ololokwe In Samburu
The police report indicated that there were no survivors from the crash. The nationalities of the tourists are yet to be officially released, with police saying identification is still underway.
Photo: Balindiway News.
By Robert Mutasi
Seven people, including a pilot and six tourists, have been confirmed dead after a helicopter they were flying in crashed in northern Kenya near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County on Wednesday morning.
According to a preliminary police report from Archers Post Police Station seen by Reuters, the aircraft was en route to the Loisaba Conservancy, a high-end safari destination, when it went down in a remote area close to the sacred mountain that dominates the Samburu landscape, about 350 kilometers from Nairobi.
The police report indicated that there were no survivors from the crash. The nationalities of the tourists are yet to be officially released, with police saying identification is still underway.
Luxury tour operator &Beyond, which was hosting the guests, confirmed the incident in a statement, saying a helicopter carrying its guests had crashed near Mount Ololokwe. The company said local authorities had launched investigations and that the cause of the crash was yet to be determined.
“The cause of the crash is yet to be determined and local authorities are investigating,” the company said in its statement.
Sources familiar with the incident told local media that the aircraft crashed at around 9:13 am local time, according to preliminary information from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA). One source with knowledge of the crash said, “I can confirm an accident has happened, there are no survivors.”
Police and Kenya Wildlife Service rangers have been dispatched to the crash site, which is located in rugged terrain at the foot of Mount Ololokwe, also known as Ol Olokwe, a flat-topped mountain revered by the local Samburu community.
Emergency response teams were still combing the site by Wednesday evening to recover the bodies and aircraft wreckage.
The crash comes amid heightened tourist activity in northern Kenya, with Loisaba Conservancy being one of the most sought-after luxury safari destinations in the region, known for its wildlife conservation and exclusive lodges.
The KCAA is expected to issue a comprehensive statement after its team visits the scene and examines flight data and wreckage.
This is the latest aviation incident in the region in recent months. Authorities have urged air operators to exercise caution, particularly when flying over remote and mountainous areas where weather can change rapidly.
Police said further updates will be provided once families of the victims have been notified and post-mortem examinations completed.
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