A medical evacuation helicopter crashed on Mount Kilimanjaro on Christmas Eve and killed all five on board. File Photo by Daniel Irungu/EPA
Dec. 26 (UPI) — A medical evacuation helicopter crashed on Mount Kilimanjaro on Christmas Eve killing all five people aboard.
Tanzanian officials said the Airbus H125 went down between Barafu Camp and Kibo peak at more than 13,000 feet in altitude.
The victims included two Czech tourists, a local doctor, a Tanzanian guide and the aircraft’s Zimbabwean pilot.
Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s tallest peak and attracts tens of thousands of climbers annually.
The tourists were being airlifted due to health complications.
Meanwhile, authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, which was the first aircraft accident on Kilimanjaro since 2008.
In 2022, the Tanzanian government announced it installed high-speed internet services on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Former President Joe Biden presents the Presidential Citizens Medal to Liz Cheney during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, on January 2, 2025. The Presidential Citizens Medal is bestowed to individuals who have performed exemplary deeds or services. Photo by Will Oliver/UPI | License Photo
