Image copyright Kenya Wildlife Service Image caption Central Island National Park has three crater lakes

A helicopter has crashed in northern Kenya, killing four American tourists and their Kenyan pilot, officials say.

The helicopter reportedly crashed in Central Island National Park on Sunday.

Police said two helicopters had landed on the island's Labolo tented camp on Sunday evening - one flew away safely. The cause of the crash is not known.

Local media say the pilot, Mario Magonga, once worked for the country's deputy president and had extensive training and experience.

He had previously served as a Kenya Defence Forces pilot, but had been working for a private firm, KIDL Helicopters, since March 2017.

The US embassy in Nairobi confirmed the death of four Americans and named three of them as Anders Asher Jesiah Burke, Brandon Howe Stapper and Kyle John Forti.

Image copyright Kyle Forti/Facebook Image caption Kyle Forti

Mr Forti was a political consultant in Colorado Springs.

The state Senate and House of Representatives held a moment of silence on Monday in honour of Mr Forti, the Colorado Springs Gazette reported.

Image copyright Brandon Stapper/Facebook Image caption Brandon Stapper

Mr Stapper was an entrepreneur and investor in San Diego, according to his website.

Image copyright Asher Burke/Facebook Image caption Asher Burke

Mr Burke also lived in San Diego and is listed as the president of a brand incubator on his LinkedIn profile.

Mr Burke and Mr Stapper were close friends, Mr Stapper's family told CBS 8.

"We offer our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of all those killed in the crash. We are providing all appropriate consular assistance to the families of the American citizens," an embassy spokesperson said in a statement to US media.

Richard Onyonka - a relative of the pilot and the area's MP - said Cpt Magonga had been cleared to fly several high profile guests in the past, including former US President Barack Obama.

"[He] was one of the best helicopter pilots that money could buy," Mr Onyonka told Kenya's NTV.

The accident comes just three weeks after a separate plane crash in Kenya which killed five people including three Americans.</s>Four American tourists and a Kenyan pilot were killed when their helicopter crashed on an island in a lake in northwest Kenya, police said Monday.

The helicopter crashed Sunday evening at Central Island, a volcanic island on Lake Turkana, Kenya's national police said in a statement.

"Available information indicates that two helicopters had landed earlier at Labolo tented camp on the national park's island, however [only] one managed to clear the area safely," the statement added.

The wreckage of the helicopter was recovered in the early hours of Monday.

The cause of the accident remains unknown.

Police did not identify the victims, saying next of kin had to be notified first.

The crash comes less than a month after three Americans were among five who died in a plane crash in the west of the country.</s>A helicopter has crashed in northern Kenya, killing four American tourists and their Kenyan pilot, officials say.

The helicopter reportedly crashed in Central Island National Park on Sunday.

Police said two helicopters had landed on the island's Labolo tented camp on Sunday evening - one flew away safely. The cause of the crash is not known.

Local media say the pilot, Mario Magonga, once worked for the country's deputy president and had extensive training and experience.

He had previously served as a Kenya Defence Forces pilot, but had been working for a private firm, KIDL Helicopters, since March 2017.

Richard Onyonka - a relative of the pilot and the area's MP - said Cpt Magonga had been cleared to fly several high profile guests in the past, including former US President Barack Obama.

"[He] was one of the best helicopter pilots that money could buy," Mr Onyonka told Kenya's NTV.

The accident comes just three weeks after a separate plane crash in Kenya which killed five people including three Americans.</s>=LAKE TURKANA, Kenya – A Kenyan pilot and four American tourists were killed in a helicopter crash in Kenya, aviation authorities and police said on Monday.

The helicopter crashed in the Central Island National Park in Lake Turkana on country’s northern border at 8:35 p.m. Sunday (2:35 a.m. ET), Kenya’s Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement posted on its website.

“A rescue team was dispatched immediately and they arrived at the Central Island at around 11:20 p.m. and located the wreckage at 3:20 a.m. with no survivors,” Kenya’s aviation chief Gilbert Kibe said.

Mario Magonga has been identified as the pilot who flew the chopper to the island. Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper reported that Magonga was also the pilot for Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto.

Authorities have ordered an investigation into the crash.

The chopper was one of two that landed on the island, Kenyan police said in an earlier statement, adding that the other aircraft “managed” to land safely.

Investigators have not yet established the cause of the crash, according to the National Police Service, which said the names of the victims would be revealed after relatives have been told about the deaths.

A local news outlet reported Monday that the two choppers had taken tourists to the island, which borders Ethiopia and is known for its colony of Nile crocodiles.

Air mishaps have become frequent in recent months in Kenya, a popular destination for international tourists visiting the east African nation for its vast wildlife and coastal attractions.

Five people, including two Americans tourists, were killed in February after a small passenger plane crashed in Kenya’s Mukatano forest.

In July, 10 people aboard a small aircraft died after it crashed in the Aberdare forest in the mountainous region of the country.</s>Four American tourists and their Kenyan pilot have died after their helicopter crashed in a Kenyan national park.

The pilot has been identified as Captain Mario Magonga, the personal pilot of Kenya's deputy president William Ruto.

The Kenyan National Police service said the identities of Magonga's American passengers is being withheld until their next of kin can be informed.

Officers said the helicopter came down in Central Island National Park near Lake Turkana around 8pm on Sunday, killing all five people on board.

Police said that two helicopters had landed at Labolo camp on the edge of the lake earlier in the day, but 'only one managed to clear the area safely'.

The helicopters had attempted to make a risky nighttime visit to Central Island, in the middle of the lake, before the crash, a source told The Nation.

The helicopters tried and failed to land on the hilly island in the dark, forcing the pilots turned back to Labolo when one of them fell out of the sky.

Investigators have managed to recover the wreckage of the helicopter and the bodies of its passengers, but say the exact cause of the crash is still unclear.

The crash comes less than a month after three Americans were among five who died in a plane crash in the west of the country.

Mr Magonga is described on his Facebook page as a pilot of exceptional experience and skill, having been trained in the Kenya Defense Forces.

He worked for tour company Tropic Air Kenya until 2015 when he left to join KIDL Helicopters, based in the capital Nairobi.

Speaking to NTV, his cousin described him as 'one of the best helicopter pilots that money could buy' and said he was cleared to fly high-profile guests, such as Mr Ruto.</s>Four American tourists and their Kenyan pilot were killed when their helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff from a remote island in a lake in northwest Kenya, officials said Monday.

“There were five people on board, four of them were US citizens and the pilot, Capt. Marious Magonga,” the Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement.

The US Embassy identified three of the dead Americans as Anders Asher Jesiah Burke, Brandon Howe Stapper and Kyle John Forti.

The helicopter “lost contact and crashed” shortly after taking off from Lake Turkana’s Central Island National Park along with a second chopper about 8 p.m. Sunday, the statement said.

They were headed for Lobolo Camp on the mainland.

Magonga, who owned the Bell 505 chopper, also flew for Kenya’s deputy president, William Ruto.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Known as the Jade Sea, Lake Turkana is the most saline lake in East Africa and the largest desert lake on Earth. Its Central Island comprises three active volcanoes, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service.

Last month, three Americans were among five people killed when their plane crashed as they were heading to Lodwar near Lake Turkana.</s>Four Americans and their Kenyan pilot were killed when their helicopter crashed on a remote island in Lake Turkana in a national park in northwest Kenya, police said on Monday.

The aircraft came down in Central Island National Park at around 8 p.m. on Sunday, police said, killing all on board.

The cause of the crash had yet to be determined.

"Available information indicates that two helicopters had landed earlier at Labolo tented Camp on the National Park's Island, however one managed to clear the area safely," Kenya's National Police Service said on its Twitter feed.

Police did not identify the victims, saying next of kin had to be notified first.

The crash comes less than a month after three Americans were among five who died in a plane crash in the west of the country.</s>Last evening at about 8pm, a helicopter crashed at Central Island National Park in Lake Turkana, killing all its five occupants on board. 



Security personnel dispatched to the scene confirmed that among the five were four Americans and the Kenyan Pilot. 1/3 — National Police Service-Kenya (@NPSOfficial_KE) March 4, 2019

NAIROBI, Kenya -- Kenyan police say four Americans and a local pilot are dead after their helicopter crashed on an island in Lake Turkana in the north.The internal police report seen by The Associated Press says the crash occurred Sunday evening in Central Island National Park as two helicopters took off after a visit to the Lobolo tented camp.The United States Embassy confirms the deaths of the four Americans and the names of three of them: Anders Asher Jesiah Burke, Brandon Howe Stapper and Kyle John Forti. The embassy refers further questions to Kenyan authorities.The police report does not say what caused the crash.Last month three Americans were among five people killed when their plane crashed as they were heading to Lodwar near Lake Turkana.</s>Four Americans and their Kenyan pilot, Captain Mario Magonga, were killed when their helicopter crashed on a remote island in Lake Turkana in a national park in northwest Kenya, police said on Monday.

The aircraft came down in Central Island National Park at around 8 p.m. on Sunday, police said, killing all on board.

The cause of the crash had yet to be determined.

According to the Standard newspaper, the chopper belongs to Deputy President William Ruto.

His official pilot Captain Magonga was the pilot of the chopper. He was aged 45. Magonga was also said to be a cousin of Deputy President William Ruto.

The passengers are believed to be tourists and had visited Lobolo Tented camp on the island’s national park.

The tourist group had two choppers and one managed to clear from the ground and flew to Nairobi. As the second one tried to clear, it crashed, killing all five on board, witnesses said.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officials rushed to the scene minutes later and confirmed the incident.

Police did not identify the victims, saying next of kin had to be notified first.

The crash comes less than a month after three Americans were among five who died in a plane crash in the west of the country.</s>NAIROBI (Reuters) - Four Americans and their Kenyan pilot were killed when their helicopter crashed shortly after taking off from a remote island in Lake Turkana in a national park in northwest Kenya, officials said on Monday.

The aircraft came down in Central Island National Park at around 8 p.m. on Sunday, Kenya’s National Police Service said on its twitter feed, killing all on board.

The cause of the crash had yet to be determined.

Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said two helicopters took off from the island on Sunday night heading for Lobolo Camp on the mainland. Rescuers found the wreckage early on Monday morning, Gilbert Kibe, director general of the KCAA, said in a statement.

“Shortly after take-off, unfortunately one of the helicopters, a Bell 505, registration 5YKDL, lost contact and crashed on the island,” Kibe said.

Police did not identify the victims, saying next of kin had to be notified first.

The crash comes less than a month after three Americans were among five who died in a plane crash in the west of the country.
A helicopter crashes in Central Island National Park, Kenya, killing four American tourists and their Kenyan pilot.