Seven people died when a safari helicopter crashed Wednesday morning in a remote part of northern Kenya, according to local police.
The Eurocopter EC130 B4 aircraft was en route from the Loisaba Conservancy to the Ewaso Nyiro area in Samburu County when it went down at 9:13 a.m., the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority confirmed. The authority stated that an investigation into the incident has begun.
Seven individuals were on board the helicopter, including six passengers and the pilot. David Nkoroi, the police commander for Samburu, confirmed late Wednesday that all seven had perished. The identities of the victims have not yet been released.
The helicopter crashed in a rugged area at the foothills of Mount Ololokwe, a well-known tourist destination. The aircraft was owned by Lady Lori Helicopters and was operating a charter flight carrying guests for the travel company &Beyond.
Tropic Air Kenya, another local safari operator, dispatched two of its helicopters to assist in search and rescue efforts. The Kenya Red Cross reported that its emergency response teams were involved in a multiagency effort to reach the crash site.
Helicopter crashes have become more frequent in Kenya, a country with a substantial tourism industry that relies on air transport to reach remote locations like Mount Ololokwe. In February, a legislator was among six people killed in a separate helicopter crash in western Kenya.