Seven people, including five American tourists, were killed on Wednesday when a helicopter crashed in Kenya’s Samburu County, authorities and U.S. officials said.
The aircraft was travelling to the Loisaba Conservancy when it went down, according to a preliminary report from Archers Post police station.
The police report did not identify the nationalities of the passengers, but a U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed that five Americans were among those killed.
The U.S. Embassy in Kenya is in contact with local authorities and is providing consular assistance to the victims’ families, the spokesperson said.
Luxury travel company &Beyond said the helicopter was carrying its guests when it crashed near Mount Ololokwe, a prominent mountain in northern Kenya.
The company said the cause of the crash remained under investigation.
The accident occurred in an area popular with international tourists visiting wildlife conservancies and safari destinations in northern Kenya.
Kenyan authorities have not yet released further details on the identities of the other two people killed or on what may have caused the helicopter to crash.
