Moshi, Tanzania: A helicopter conducting a medical evacuation on Mount Kilimanjaro crashed near Barafu Camp on Thursday, killing all five people on board, according to Tanzania’s aviation and regional authorities.
The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) said the helicopter went down at high altitude between Barafu Camp and the Kibo summit area, one of the final ascent routes used by climbers. The aircraft was reportedly responding to a distress call involving climbers who had fallen ill on the mountain.
Authorities confirmed that those killed included two foreign tourists, identified by local media as Czech nationals, along with a Tanzanian medical doctor, a Tanzanian mountain guide, and the pilot, who was reported to be a Zimbabwean national.
The helicopter was operated by a local aviation service provider that regularly conducts high-altitude rescue and medical evacuation missions on Africa’s tallest peak. No other aircraft were involved in the incident.
Emergency teams and park authorities reached the crash site after challenging efforts due to the terrain, altitude and rapidly changing weather conditions common in the upper sections of Kilimanjaro. All five occupants were pronounced dead at the scene.
The TCAA, in coordination with the Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA), has launched a formal investigation to determine the cause of the crash. Officials said investigators will examine operational factors, aircraft performance at altitude, weather conditions and pilot communications. No preliminary cause has been released.
Mount Kilimanjaro, which rises to nearly 6,000 metres (20,000 feet), attracts tens of thousands of climbers each year. While aviation incidents on the mountain are rare, helicopters are frequently used for emergency evacuations due to altitude sickness and medical emergencies.
