Helicopter crash on Mount Kilimanjaro kills five during rescue mission

A helicopter crashed on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, killing five people, the country’s civil aviation authority said on Thursday. Local media reported that the aircraft was undertaking a medical evacuation when the accident occurred.

According to a statement from the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA), the helicopter went down on Wednesday near Barafu Camp, one of the final staging points for climbers attempting to reach the summit of the mountain.

Local outlets Mwananchi and East Africa TV, citing Kilimanjaro regional police chief Simon Maigwa, said the helicopter was on a medical rescue mission at the time of the crash.

Those killed included the pilot, a doctor, a mountain guide and two foreign tourists. The nationalities of the tourists were not disclosed.

Reports said the crash took place at an altitude of between 4,670 and 4,700 metres on Mount Kilimanjaro, which rises to nearly 6,000 metres above sea level and is the highest peak in Africa.

Mount Kilimanjaro is a major tourist attraction, drawing an estimated 50,000 climbers each year. Authorities have not yet released details on the cause of the crash, and an investigation is expected to be launched.

With agency inputs