A helicopter on a medical evacuation mission has crashed on the slopes of Kilimanjaro, killing all five people on board.
The incident took place on Wednesday evening, December 24, on one of the mountain’s most popular climbing routes at an altitude of over 4,000 meters.
As reported by Tanzanian authorities, the victims included two foreign nationals, a local doctor, a Tanzanian mountain guide and the pilot.
Police identified the foreign passengers as Czech tourists who were evacuated due to health problems.
The pilot of the helicopter was a Zimbabwean citizen.
The helicopter, an Airbus H125 operated by local company Kilimanjaro Aviation, crashed between Barafu camp and Kibo summit.
Tanzania’s Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) confirmed the fatalities and stated that a formal investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the accident.
The mountain is considered to be Africa’s highest peak, drawing tens of thousands of climbers every year.
While the ascent is non-technical, altitude sickness is a common risk, usually requiring emergency evacuation.
This helicopter crash marks the first plane crash on the mountain since 2008.
