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Helicopter crashes at Mount Ololokwe in Kenya, killing six people

Basillioh Rukangaand
Thomas Mukhwana,in Nairobi
News imageLightRocket via Getty Image Mount Ololokwe is seen in the background of a highway LightRocket via Getty Image
Mount Ololokwe in central Kenya is a wildlife reserve

A helicopter has crashed in central Kenya at Mount Ololokwe in Samburu county, killing all six people on board, air accident officials have told the BBC.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Department said the identities of those on board were yet to be confirmed. Local media is reporting that the helicopter was carrying tourists.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said the accident happened at approximately 09:13 local time (06:13 GMT).

It said the helicopter was on a scenic flight from a wildlife conservancy in Losaiba to Ewaso Nyiro, a river that flows along several national reserves.

An image shared online shows smoke as the crash site at Mount Ololokwe.

The Kenya Red Cross has told the BBC that the area is not yet accessible, but drones are being used to assess the scene.

The KCAA said the accident involved a Eurocopter EC130 B4 and it said it was co-ordinating operations.

The transport ministry and Air Accident Investigations Department would lead "investigations into the circumstances surrounding the accident", it added.

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