A helicopter crashed on Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro, killing five people, the country’s civil aviation authority said on Thursday.
The aircraft went down near Barafu Camp, one of the main high-altitude camps on Africa’s highest peak, on Wednesday, according to a statement from the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA).
Those killed included a Tanzanian mountain guide and a Tanzanian doctor, the Zimbabwean pilot, and two tourists from the Czech Republic, Tanzania National Parks said in a separate statement.
Local media reported that the helicopter was on a medical evacuation mission at the time of the crash. The Mwananchi newspaper and East Africa TV cited the Kilimanjaro region’s police chief as saying the aircraft had been dispatched for a rescue operation.
The cause of the crash was not immediately clear, and investigations are under way, authorities said.
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Mount Kilimanjaro, a dormant volcano rising to 5,895 metres, attracts tens of thousands of climbers each year and is a major source of tourism revenue for Tanzania.
More on Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, rises to 5,895 metres (19,341 feet) above sea level in northern Tanzania, near the border with Kenya. The mountain is a dormant volcanic massif made up of three cones Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira with Uhuru Peak on Kibo forming the summit.
It is one of the continent’s most important tourist attractions, drawing an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 climbers each year. Trekking and related tourism generate significant foreign exchange for Tanzania and provide livelihoods for thousands of guides, porters and support staff from surrounding communities.
The mountain lies within Kilimanjaro National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, and is managed by Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA). Access to the summit is strictly regulated, with climbers required to be accompanied by licensed guides and to follow designated routes.
Despite being considered a “walkable” mountain, Kilimanjaro poses serious risks due to altitude sickness, extreme weather changes and rugged terrain. Medical evacuations by helicopter are occasionally carried out for climbers suffering from severe altitude-related illnesses or injuries.
Kilimanjaro’s glaciers, once iconic, have been shrinking rapidly in recent decades due to climate change, with scientists warning that the remaining ice fields could disappear within decades if current trends continue.
