Five people were killed after an Airbus H125 ambulance helicopter (tail number 5H-KMA) crashed on Mount Kilimanjaro during a medical evacuation mission on Wednesday evening, Tanzanian authorities confirmed.
The accident occurred on one of the mountain’s most popular climbing routes, between Barafu Camp and Kibo Summit, at an altitude of more than 4,000 metres. The helicopter was reportedly attempting to evacuate two Czech climbers when it went down.
Those killed include the two Czech evacuees, a local doctor, a tour guide and the pilot. Police said the aircraft was operated by KiliMedAir Aviation, a company that provides medical evacuation and other aviation services. The company has not yet commented on the incident.
Kilimanjaro regional police commander Simon Maigwa said further details would be released once more information becomes available. The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that a formal investigation has been launched in line with international aviation safety regulations to determine the circumstances and probable cause of the crash.
Aircraft accidents on Mount Kilimanjaro are rare. The last recorded incident occurred in November 2008, when four people lost their lives.
A tragic helicopter crash occurred on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania ?? on December 24, 2025, claiming the lives of all five people on board. The aircraft was an Airbus Helicopters H125 (also known as AS350 B3), registered 5H-KMA, operated by KiliMedAir Aviation (under Savannah… pic.twitter.com/FUSDvFqbdZ
— I. Cox (@IanECox) December 25, 2025
Five people have died after a rescue helicopter crashed at Barafu Camp on Mount Kilimanjaro, according to Tanzania’s aviation authority.
The helicopter was on a medical evacuation mission when the crash happened on December 24 at the high-altitude camp used by climbers heading… pic.twitter.com/7sSzrkSpZc
— Eagle News Feed (@eagle_feed) December 25, 2025