Helicopter crash in Kenya’s County of Samburu leads to six fatalities
A Eurocopter EC130 B4 crashed on Monday, 19 August 2026, near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County, killing all six people on board. The aircraft was on a scenic flight from a wildlife conservancy in Losaiba to the Ewaso Nyiro river that borders several national reserves.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) recorded the crash at about 09:13 local time (06:13 GMT). The aircraft’s type and pilot were identified as a Eurocopter EC130 B4, and KCAA is coordinating investigation efforts with the transport ministry and the Air Accident Investigations Department.
Initial reports indicated the helicopter was carrying tourists, though identities remain unconfirmed due to ongoing investigations. The Kenya Red Cross has noted that the crash site is not yet fully accessible, but drones are being deployed to assess the scene.
This accident follows several tragic helicopter incidents in Kenya—including a February 2026 crash in the Rift Valley that killed six, a 2024 military helicopter crash that killed the army chief and all but two of the eleven passengers, and a 2021 incident in which ten soldiers perished near Nairobi.
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