What Happened?
Four Americans and a local pilot were killed in Kenya when a helicopter crashed on an island Sunday night, CBS reported.
The helicopter went down after 8 p.m. local time at Central Island National Park, located on a small volcanic island in the middle of Lake Turkana, Kenya. All five occupants on board died, according to CBS.
The helicopter was one of two that had landed on the island earlier in the day at Lobolo tented camp.
When both choppers took off that evening, one lost contact and crashed on the island, according to a statement from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority. The statement said a search and rescue mission found the wreckage shortly after 3 a.m.
“We offer our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of all those killed in the crash,” the State Department official told ABC in a statement Monday. “We are providing all appropriate consular assistance to the families of the American citizens.”
The Latest
The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi confirmed the deaths of the four Americans to CBS, but was only able to identify three of the victims as Brandon Howe Stapper, Anders Asher Jesiah Burke and Kyle John Forti.
The cause of the accident is under investigation, according to ABC.
In Context
Last month, two Americans were among five people killed when their small plane crashed in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley region, according to ABC.
Kenya is a popular destination for international tourists visiting the east African country for its vast wildlife and coastal attractions.
