Credited from: REUTERS
A helicopter crash on Mount Kilimanjaro on Wednesday night resulted in the deaths of five individuals, according to local authorities who reported that the aircraft was on a medical evacuation mission at the time. Among those killed were two Czech tourists, a local doctor, a Tanzanian tour guide, and the helicopter's Zimbabwean pilot. The crash occurred on a popular climbing route between Barafu Camp and Kibo Summit at an altitude exceeding 4,000 meters (approximately 13,100 feet), as noted by Africanews, Al Jazeera, and CBS News.
The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority announced that investigations have been initiated in compliance with international safety regulations to determine the circumstances and probable cause of the crash. Kilimanjaro Regional Police Commander Simon Maigwa stated that the helicopter belonged to Kilimanjaro Aviation, a company involved in medical evacuations, but no comment has been made by the company regarding the incident. The rarity of such accidents on Mount Kilimanjaro underscores the significance of this tragic event, as the last recorded crash occurred in November 2008, resulting in four fatalities, according to Reuters and Africanews.