At least 5 killed in helicopter crash on Tanzania’s Mt Kilimanjaro

Five people, including two Czech tourists, were killed when a helicopter crashed on Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzanian authorities said on Thursday.

The accident occurred on Wednesday near Camp Barafu, at an altitude of about 4,700 metres (15,400 feet). According to the country’s aviation authority, all five people on board the helicopter died. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.

The incident comes amid ongoing concerns about aviation safety in Tanzania. In June, the European Union placed all Tanzanian air transport companies on its at-risk list, citing a lack of qualified personnel, weak oversight of flight operations and aircraft airworthiness, and failure to comply with international safety standards.

Tanzania has experienced several deadly aviation accidents in recent years. In 2022, a plane crashed into Lake Victoria, killing 19 people. In 1999, a separate crash in the north of the country claimed the lives of 12 people, including 10 American tourists.