Seven tourists die as helicopter nosedives into Samburu Mountain Valley, bursts into flames

A helicopter carrying seven tourists has crashed into Kenya’s Lolokwe Mountain in Samburu County with no survivors, after eyewitnesses watched the aircraft descend rapidly into a deep valley before bursting into flames on Wednesday morning.

As reported by The Cable, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the Eurocopter EC130 B4, registration 5Y-GYM, crashed at approximately 9:13am local time while travelling from the Loisaba wildlife reserve to the Ewaso Nyiro river in Samburu National Reserve.

The nationalities of the seven tourists on board have not been publicly confirmed. Eyewitnesses described the aircraft nosediving before impact triggered a spreading blaze.

“The Authority extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims following this tragic incident,” the KCAA said, adding that Kenya’s Air Accident Investigation Department is leading the probe into the crash’s circumstances.