SAMBURU, Kenya — A pilot and six tourists have been killed after a helicopter crashed near Mt Ololokwe in Samburu County on Wednesday morning, triggering a multi-agency emergency response in the remote area.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) confirmed the accident, saying the aircraft was a Eurocopter EC130 B4, registration 5Y-GYM, and crashed at approximately 9:13 a.m. local time.
KCAA said the helicopter was conducting a flight from Loisaba to the Ewaso Nyiro area when the accident occurred.
“KCAA is coordinating with the relevant agencies and stakeholders in response to the accident.”
The authority said the Air Accident Investigation Department (AAID) under the Ministry of Roads and Transport would lead investigations to establish what caused the crash.
The cause of the accident had not been established by Wednesday afternoon.
Seven people killed
Local police and subsequent reports confirmed that all seven people aboard the helicopter died.
They were identified as pilot Josh Outran and passengers Roger Duarte, Adam Navaty, Stephen Vasconquez, Henry Parra, Michael Contugi and Suian Suarez. Local reporting identified Suarez as the only woman among those on board.
Reuters reported that the victims included a pilot and six tourists, while luxury safari operator &Beyond confirmed that the helicopter was carrying its guests. The operator said the crash was under investigation and that the cause had not yet been determined.
The nationalities of the tourists were not immediately disclosed by authorities.
Smoke and flames seen after crash
Samburu County Police Commander David Nkoroi confirmed that thick smoke was seen rising from the area after the helicopter went down.
Witnesses reported seeing a large plume of smoke and flames from the crash site, prompting residents to raise the alarm and emergency teams to move towards the remote location.
The difficult terrain around Mt Ololokwe complicated access to the crash site, with Kenya Red Cross emergency teams joining the multi-agency response. The Red Cross said its teams were participating in efforts to reach the site.
Rescue teams also used drones to survey the area as authorities worked to access the wreckage and recover the victims.
Discrepancy over flight route
There is a discrepancy in the early accounts of the helicopter’s journey that investigators will need to clarify.
KCAA’s official account states that 5Y-GYM was flying from Loisaba to Ewaso Nyiro when it crashed at about 9:13 a.m.
However, a preliminary police report cited by local media said the aircraft, described as “Lady Lorry”, had been travelling from Soyian-Laikipia towards Loisaba Conservancy.
For now, KCAA’s account should be treated as the authoritative description of the flight at the time of the accident, while the conflicting police routing remains part of the information requiring clarification.
Crash occurred in Kenya’s northern tourism circuit
Mt Ololokwe, also known as Ol Donyo Sabache, is a prominent flat-topped mountain in northern Kenya’s Samburu region and forms part of the area’s tourism landscape. The mountain rises prominently above the surrounding terrain and has long attracted visitors and climbers.
Helicopters and light aircraft are commonly used to connect safari destinations and conservancies across northern Kenya, where road travel can be difficult over long distances. The region includes major wildlife and tourism destinations around Samburu and Laikipia.
The crash therefore comes at the heart of a tourism corridor heavily dependent on aviation to connect remote properties and destinations.
Investigation underway
KCAA said the AAID would investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft’s flight path, maintenance history, weather and operational conditions, as well as the wreckage and other available evidence.
Authorities have not attributed the crash to mechanical failure, pilot error, weather or any other specific cause.
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Any conclusion on what brought down the helicopter would therefore be premature until the aviation investigation is completed.
KCAA expressed condolences to the families of the victims following the tragedy.
The accident is among a series of fatal helicopter crashes in Kenya in recent years, including the February 2026 crash in Nandi County that killed six people, among them Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ngeno. Investigators in that case later moved into the technical examination of recovered aircraft components.
For the families of the seven people killed in Samburu, however, the immediate priority is the recovery and identification of their loved ones as investigators begin the difficult task of determining why the aircraft came down near Mt Ololokwe.
