All seven people on board a tourist helicopter died when the aircraft crashed near Mt Ololokwe in Kirish, Samburu County, Kenya, on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) confirmed the accident in a statement issued the same day, saying there were no survivors.
Details of the crash
The helicopter, a Eurocopter EC130 B4 with registration 5Y-GYM, was conducting a flight from Loisaba to Ewasonyiro when the accident occurred at approximately 9:13 a.m. local time. The KCAA stated that the crash took place at Lolokwe Mountain in Samburu County.
“Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) confirms that an aircraft accident involving a Eurocopter EC130 B4, registration 5Y-GYM, has occurred at Lolokwe Mountain in Samburu County on Wednesday, 19 August 2026,” the authority said. “The aircraft was conducting a flight from Loisaba to Ewasonyiro when the accident occurred at approximately 0913 hrs local time.”
Investigation and response
KCAA said it was coordinating with relevant government agencies and other stakeholders following the accident. The Air Accident Investigation Department, under the Ministry of Roads and Transport, is leading investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash. KCAA also extended its condolences to the families of the victims.
According to a preliminary report from the police, seven tourists were on board the helicopter before it went down. “Their nationality is yet to be known,” police said. The KCAA did not immediately release the identities or nationalities of the victims.
