A helicopter carrying out a rescue operation on Mount Kilimanjaro in northern Tanzania crashed on Wednesday evening, killing five people, including two tourists transported after a medical emergency during the climb, local authorities said. The plane was following one of the busiest routes for foreign visitors when it lost contact and crashed in a high altitude area between Camp Barafu and Kibo Peak, more than 4,000 meters above sea level.
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Police said the tourists – identified by local media as Czech citizens – had been rescued from inside the mountain and were on their way to medical treatment. The pilot, a mountain guide and a doctor who participated in the operation also died.
Search teams were mobilized to the area following the accident. The causes of the accident are still under investigation by the country’s aviation authorities. Authorities said new details are expected to be released as the investigation progresses.
Regional police commander Simon Maigwa said the helicopter was operated by the Kilimanjaro Aviation company, which specializes in medical rescue services and mountain expedition support. However, the company has not yet commented on the accident.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Civil Aviation Authority of Tanzania said it had opened an investigation in accordance with international safety standards, with the aim of clarifying the circumstances of the accident and identifying the probable cause.
Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest point on the African continent, reaches almost 6,000 meters above sea level. Although the route does not require technical climbing, altitude sickness is a common risk for climbers and tourists. It is estimated that around 50,000 people attempt to reach the summit each year.
Air accidents on Mount Kilimanjaro are rare, the last recorded incident dating back to November 2008, when four people died, recalled the American channel CBS News.
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