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Five people were killed when a helicopter crashed on Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, in northern Tanzania.
The accident occurred on Wednesday evening along one of the mountain’s most frequently used climbing routes. According to police, the aircraft was on a medical evacuation mission to collect patients when it went down. Those who died included two foreign nationals being evacuated, as well as a local doctor, a tour guide, and the pilot.
The helicopter crashed between Barafu Camp and Kibo Summit at an altitude exceeding 4,000 metres (13,100 feet). Regional police commander Simon Maigwa confirmed that the aircraft was operated by Kilimanjaro Aviation, a company specializing in medical evacuation and other aviation services. The company has yet to issue a statement.
Authorities said additional information will be shared as it becomes available. The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority announced on Thursday that a formal investigation has been launched in accordance with international aviation safety standards to establish the cause of the crash.
Helicopter accidents on Mount Kilimanjaro are uncommon. The previous recorded incident occurred in November 2008, when four people lost their lives.
