Samburu — August 19, 2026: Seven people have died after a helicopter crashed at Mt Ololokwe in Samburu County on Wednesday morning.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) confirmed the accident, saying it involved a Eurocopter EC130 B4, registration 5Y-GYM.
According to KCAA, the aircraft was travelling from Loisaba to Ewasonyiro when it crashed at approximately 9:13am local time.
“KCAA is coordinating with the relevant agencies and stakeholders in response to the accident. The Ministry of Roads and Transport, Air Accident Investigation Department is leading investigations on circumstances surrounding the accident,” the authority said.
Seven Occupants Killed
A subsequent police report identified the aircraft as Lady Lorry and indicated that it had been flying from Soyian-Laikipia to Loisaba Conservancy before the crash.
All seven occupants died in the accident.
They were identified as:
- Josh Outran — pilot
- Roger Duarte
- Adam Navaty
- Stephen Vasconquez
- Henry Parra
- Michael Contugi
- Suian Suarez — female passenger
Thick Smoke and Flames Seen at Crash Site
Samburu County Police Commander David Nkoroi confirmed that thick smoke was seen rising from the crash site shortly after the accident.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing a large plume of black smoke and intense flames coming from the area where the helicopter went down.
Residents raised the alarm, prompting the deployment of security and emergency response teams to the crash site.
The circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation, with the Air Accident Investigation Department leading efforts to establish what caused the fatal accident.
