Rescue helicopter crashes on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, killing all five people on board

Five people died when a rescue helicopter on a mission to Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, crashed on Wednesday evening.

The accident happened on one of Tanzania’s most popular tourist climbing routes. Police said the helicopter was on a rescue mission to pick up patients on the mountain.

Two foreigners, who police said had been arrested during a medical evacuation, were among those killed. According to Tanzanian media, they were Czech nationals.

A local doctor, a tour guide and a pilot were also killed in the crash, police said.

The accident occurred between Camp Barafu and Kibo Peak, at an altitude of over 13,100 feet.

Kilimanjaro Regional Police Commander Simon Maigwa told reporters that the plane belonged to the Kilimanjaro Aviation company, which provides medical evacuation services among other services. The company has not yet commented on the accident.

Police said more information would be provided later. The cause of the accident was not immediately clear.

The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority said Thursday that investigations had begun, in line with international safety regulations, “to determine the circumstances and probable cause” of the accident.

Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, rises nearly 20,000 feet above sea level. While the climb is not considered technically difficult for mountaineers, altitude sickness is a problem for many climbers. Around 50,000 tourists climb Kilimanjaro every year.

Plane crashes on Mount Kilimanjaro are rare, with the last recorded incident dating back to November 2008, when four people died.