Kenya helicopter crash sparks rescue push near Mount Ololokwe

A charter helicopter carrying seven people crashed in northern Kenya on Wednesday morning. Rescue teams are struggling to reach the rugged site as investigators probe the cause.

In Short

• Aircraft crashed at 9.13 am while flying across Samburu County
• Pilot and six passengers were on the chartered Eurocopter EC130 B4
• Rescue teams faced difficult access near Mount Ololokwe's rugged foothills

A helicopter carrying seven people crashed in northern Kenya on Wednesday morning, with the condition of those on board not immediately known. Kenya's aviation agency said the aircraft went down while flying from Loisaba Conservancy to the Ewaso Nyiro area in Samburu County, and an investigation has been launched.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said the helicopter crashed at 9.13 am. It said there were seven people on board, including six passengers and the pilot.

Local media reported that the helicopter crashed in a rugged area in the foothills of Mount Ololokwe, a popular tourist destination in the country. The aircraft was a Eurocopter EC130 B4, according to the aviation authority.

The helicopter was owned by local company Lady Lori Helicopters and was carrying guests with travel company &Beyond. Lady Lori Helicopters said in a statement that the aircraft was operating a charter flight when it crashed. Tropic Air Kenya, a local safari operator, said it had sent two helicopters to support search and rescue operations.

The Kenya Red Cross said its emergency response teams were "participating in a multiagency response effort as rescue teams work to access the crash site". Helicopter crashes have occurred repeatedly in Kenya, where domestic carriers play an important role in taking visitors to remote destinations such as Mount Ololokwe. In February, a legislator was among six people killed in a helicopter crash in a hilly area of western Kenya. A previous version of the story had wrongly said Tropic Air operated the helicopter, but the aircraft was owned by Lady Lori Helicopters.

With PTI Inputs

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