DAR ES SALAAM: A tragic helicopter crash on Mount Kilimanjaro claimed the lives of five people on Wednesday, the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) confirmed on Thursday. Local media reported that the aircraft was engaged in a medical rescue mission when the accident occurred.
The helicopter went down near the mountain’s Barafu Camp, at an altitude between 4,670 and 4,700 meters (15,350–15,420 ft), according to Mwananchi newspaper. East Africa TV also cited Simon Maigwa, the Kilimanjaro region’s head of police, confirming the helicopter’s involvement in a medical evacuation.
Those killed in the crash included a guide, a doctor, the pilot, and two foreign tourists, though the nationalities of the tourists have not been disclosed. Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, rises to nearly 6,000 meters (20,000 ft) and attracts around 50,000 climbers annually, making such rescue missions critical in emergency situations.
In a separate aviation tragedy, Libya’s army chief of staff, Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad, died in a plane crash on Tuesday while returning from Ankara, Turkey. Libya’s internationally recognised Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah confirmed the deaths, adding that four others were on the jet, including the commander of Libya’s ground forces, the director of its military manufacturing authority, a military adviser, and a photographer from the chief of staff’s office.
“This follows a tragic and painful incident while returning from an official trip from Ankara. This grave loss is a great loss for the nation, for the military institution, and for all the people,” PM Dbeibah said in a statement.
Both incidents highlight the risks associated with high-altitude and official flights, underscoring the importance of aviation safety measures in challenging terrains and operational contexts.
