- A Eurocopter EC130 B4 registered as 5Y-GYM went down near Mt. Ololokwe in Samburu County on Wednesday, August 19
- Josh Outram, founder of Africa Heli Adventures and a commercial pilot with over 15 years of flying experience, was among those killed
- The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the crash, while police reported thick smoke rising from the site as rescue teams responded
A helicopter carrying seven people crashed at Mt. Ololokwe in Samburu County on Wednesday morning, August 19, killing everyone on board, including Josh Outram, a commercial pilot and the founder of Africa Heli Adventures.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) confirmed that the aircraft, a Eurocopter EC130 B4 registered as 5Y-GYM, went down at approximately 0913 hrs local time.
Source: Twitter
A police report indicated the chopper had departed from Soyian in Laikipia and was heading to Loisaba Conservancy when the crash occurred.
The KCAA, separately, placed the route as travelling from Loisaba to Ewasonyiro. The aircraft is believed to belong to Lady Lori, a Nairobi-based company offering helicopter and fixed-wing charter services across Kenya and East Africa.
Samburu County Police Commander David Nkoroi confirmed that emergency response teams were deployed after thick smoke was spotted rising from the crash site.
The seven who died
Alongside Outram, the six other occupants who lost their lives were Roger Duarte, Adam Navaty, Stephen Vasconquez, Henry Parra, Michael Contugi, and Suian Suarez.
Outram was a fourth-generation Kenyan whose connection to aviation shaped most of his adult life.
He completed his first solo flight in 2021 while pursuing his Private Pilot licence, later earning a Commercial Pilot qualification and logging over 15 years of flying experience across conservation and commercial aviation in Kenya.
What Africa Heli adventures did
Outram launched Africa Heli Adventures with the goal of opening up northern Kenya’s most remote landscapes to visitors. In a previous interview, he explained what made the work meaningful to him.
“Without a helicopter there are parts of Kenya that are inaccessible, and those parts that are, are some of the most beautiful. Flying gives you a whole new perspective of what Kenya truly looks like and takes you to places that are so remote and completely untouched,” he said.
His preferred route took passengers through the Suguta Valley, a stretch he regarded as one of the most varied journeys a visitor could make, Tuko.co reported.
“There isn’t many places on the planet where you can start off in wildlife filled conservancies, onto volcanic craters for tea and coffee, to landing on the sand banks of a river for breakfast. It’s a phenomenal experience,” he said.
The company also supported Loisaba Conservancy and surrounding areas with wildlife monitoring, animal translocations, and darting operations. Outram was further involved in tree-planting projects across drier parts of northern Kenya and had spoken of a personal commitment to the Reteti elephant sanctuary.
He leaves behind a legacy as a pilot who used his skills in service of conservation, offering rare views of a Kenya that most people never get to see.
Names of 7 people killed in Kenya crash
Previously, Legit.ng reported that seven people died after a light aircraft crashed into Mt. Ololokwe in Samburu County, Kenya, on Wednesday morning, with no survivors found when emergency teams reached the scene.
The aircraft, known as Lady Lorry, was travelling from Soyian-Laikipia to Loisaba Conservancy when it went down. Those who died were identified as pilot Josh Outran and passengers Roger Duarte, Adam Navaty, Stephen Vasconquez, Henry Parra, Michael Contugi, and Suian Suarez, Tucko reports.
Source: Legit.ng