A helicopter crashed in Kenya’s northern Samburu County on Wednesday, with local media reporting that tourists were believed to have been on board.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the crash, saying the helicopter had been heading toward the Ewaso Nyiro River, which runs through the Samburu National Reserve. The authority did not immediately disclose how many people were aboard or confirm their nationalities.
Local newspaper The Star reported that the aircraft came down near Kirish, close to Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County, and said the fate of seven tourists believed to have been travelling in the helicopter was not immediately known.
Other Kenyan media outlets, including The Standard, also reported that tourists may have been aboard the aircraft, although authorities had yet to independently confirm those reports.
There was no immediate official information on deaths or injuries, and details about the helicopter’s operator, registration and circumstances of the crash remained unclear.
Samburu is one of Kenya’s major safari destinations, attracting visitors to its wildlife reserves and remote northern landscapes.
Authorities are expected to release further details as emergency teams assess the crash site and aviation officials begin investigating the cause.