Seven dead after tourist helicopter crashes in northern Kenya

Published on 19/08/2026 - 16:23 GMT+2

A tourist helicopter crashed at Kenya's Mount Ololokwe on Wednesday, killing all seven people on board, according to local authorities.

The Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority said the incident occurred at around 9:13 am local time as the aircraft made its way from the Loisaba wildlife conservancy to the Ewaso Nyiro river.

The helicopter involved in the crash was a Eurocopter EC130 B4, it added.

Video footage shared on social media appears to show the site of the crash, with black smoke visible against the foot of the mountain.

"There were 7 people on board the helicopter, one pilot and six passengers," Fredrick Kabunge, the director of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Department, told AFP, adding that the "helicopter was transporting tourists for a scenic flight" and confirming that there were no survivors.

In a post on X, the Kenya Red Cross said its emergency response teams were at the scene of the crash in Samburu Country and were working with other agencies to access the site.

"Search and recovery efforts are ongoing, hampered by difficult terrain access and an active fire at the crash site," it said in an update later on Wednesday. "An additional team has been dispatched from Isiolo to reinforce the operation."

This is a developing story. Check back later for further details.