Residents of Samburu County in northern Kenya have described the moments leading up to a helicopter crash that killed all seven people on board, including five Americans.
The safari helicopter crashed on Wednesday morning in a remote area of northern Kenya, according to local police and the US State Department.
Eyewitness Jaycob Lekoriani said he watched the helicopter descend from a hill before tumbling to the ground.
“I witnessed this incident from the start. From when the chopper went down from the top of the hill, to when it tumbled down up to here,” Lekoriani said.
“We rushed from the village to here, where the incident happened, and then tried to rescue those involved. But we got here when people had died.”
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said the helicopter was flying from Loisaba Conservancy to the Ewaso Nyiro area in Samburu County when it crashed.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
Local media reported that the helicopter came down in a rugged area at the foothills of Mount Ololokwe, a popular tourist destination.
The aircraft, a Eurocopter EC130 B4, was owned by local operator Lady Lori Helicopters and was carrying guests travelling with safari company &Beyond. Lady Lori Helicopters said the aircraft was operating a charter flight when the crash occurred.
Tropic Air Kenya, another local safari operator, said it dispatched two helicopters to assist with search and rescue efforts.
The crash highlights ongoing aviation safety concerns in Kenya, where helicopters are widely used to transport tourists to remote destinations as part of the country’s thriving tourism industry.
In February, a legislator was among six people killed when a helicopter crashed in a mountainous area of western Kenya.
