A tragic helicopter incident occurring at a renowned destination has resulted in the loss of five lives, including two tourists.
The unfortunate event took place on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the highest peak in Africa and a favored spot for adventurers and mountaineers globally.
Among the deceased were two foreign visitors awaiting evacuation, a local physician, a tour leader, and the pilot. The helicopter crashed on Wednesday evening between Barafu Camp and Kibo Summit at an elevation exceeding 4,000 meters (13,100 feet).
According to Kilimanjaro regional police commander Simon Maigwa, the aircraft belonged to Kilimanjaro Aviation, a company specializing in medical evacuations and aviation services.
The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) has confirmed the fatalities and initiated a formal probe to determine the accident’s cause.
Although ascending Kilimanjaro is generally non-technical, altitude sickness poses a significant hazard, at times necessitating urgent evacuations. This helicopter crash represents the first air mishap on the mountain since 2008.