Five people, among them two tourists from the Czech Republic, lost their lives after a helicopter went down on Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzanian authorities confirmed on Thursday.
The fatal accident occurred on Wednesday, December 24, at an altitude of about 4,700 metres near Camp Barafu, with the national aviation authority reporting that none of the occupants survived the crash.
Officials said investigations were ongoing, adding that the cause of the incident had not yet been established.
The tragedy adds to long-standing concerns over aviation safety in Tanzania. In June, the European Union placed all Tanzanian air transport companies on its aviation safety risk list after a string of air incidents in the country.
In explaining the decision, the European Union, EU, pointed to a shortage of qualified personnel, ineffective oversight processes in flight operations and airworthiness, and non-compliance with international safety standards.
Tanzania has witnessed several deadly air accidents in recent decades. In 2022, a domestic aircraft plunged into Lake Victoria, resulting in the deaths of 19 people.
Earlier, in 1999, a plane crash in northern Tanzania claimed 12 lives, including 10 American tourists, marking one of the country’s most tragic aviation disasters.
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