Samburu Helicopter Crash: Preliminary Report Released, Cause Still Under Investigation
Updated October 9, 2026: Kenya’s Air Accident Investigation Department (AAID) released a preliminary investigation report on September 18 into the August 19 crash of an Airbus EC130 B4 helicopter, registration 5Y-GYM, operated by Lady Lori Limited, at Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven occupants died, the AAID said.
The AAID said the investigation into the cause is ongoing. A preliminary report is part of an investigation, not a final determination of why the crash happened. This article therefore does not attribute the accident to pilot error or another cause.
What is confirmed
The aircraft was carrying six passengers and one pilot. It crashed on August 19, 2026, near Mount Ololokwe. The aviation investigators said they deployed to the scene and notified the relevant international bodies under accident-investigation procedures.
Contemporaneous reporting by the Associated Press said the charter was travelling from Loisaba Conservancy toward the Ewaso Nyiro area and that five of the passengers were U.S. citizens. The identities and nationality details in news reports are separate from the official investigation into the cause.
Investigation status
The AAID’s preliminary report is available from its website. The department said it will issue further updates as the investigation progresses. Readers seeking the technical findings should consult the original report and any later statement directly.
