A ‌helicopter crashed on Wednesday in Kenya’s Samburu county ​and local media reported that tourists were ​believed to be on board.

The Kenya Civil Aviation ​Authority (KCAA) spokesperson said ​the helicopter was heading from the Loisaba wildlife reserve to ‌the ⁠Ewaso Nyiro river that flows through the Samburu National ​Reserve. 

The crash happened at Ololokwe Mountain at 9.13am local time on Wednesday. 

In a video, black smoke can be seen billowing into the sky at the foot of the mountain. 

An aviation source said that there were no survivors of the crash, which happened around 217 miles north of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. 

The Star, a local paper, reported there were seven tourists onboard the helicopter, with police telling the paper their nationalities are not yet known. 

The helicopter had a registration number of 5Y-GYM and that it was a Eurocopter EC130B4. 

The KCAA said that it is ‘coordinating with the relevant agencies and stakeholders in response to the accident. 

‘The Ministry of Roads and Transport, Air Accident Investigation Department is leading investigations on circumstances surrounding the accident. 

The Kenyan Red Cross this morning said that it was responding to the crash

The Kenya Red Cross sent a crew to assist with the crash 

Authorities said ​the helicopter was heading from the Loisaba wildlife reserve to ‌the ⁠Ewaso Nyiro river (pictured) 

Data from FlightRadar24 showed that the helicopter’s last known position was at Mount Ololokwe

‘The authority extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims following this tragedy incident.’ 

The Kenyan Red Cross this morning said that it was responding to the crash, adding: ‘Kenya Red Cross emergency response teams are participating in a multi-agency response effort as rescue teams work to access the crash site.’

Data from FlightRadar24 showed that the helicopter’s last known position was at Mount Ololokwe.

At 9.11am local time, the vehicle was at an altitude of 5,600ft and had a ground speed of 85kts (97mph). 

Mount Ololokwe, a sacred mountain for the Samburu people whose summit rises to 6,560 feet above sea level, is a popular hiking destination. Companies offer helicopter flyovers.  

In March, a helicopter crash in western Kenya killed six people, including a member of parliament.