Passionate aviator: Details of pilot in Samburu chopper crash that killed 7
This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.
- A Eurocopter EC130 B4 helicopter crashed at Mt. Ololokwe in Samburu County on August 19, killing all 7 people on board
- Among the victims was Josh Outram, the pilot and founder of Africa Heli Adventures, a company built on his lifelong passion for Kenyan skies
- Outram, a 4th generation Kenyan with over 15 years of flying experience, dedicated his career to showcasing remote northern Kenya from the air
A helicopter crash at Mt. Ololokwe in Samburu County Wednesday morning, August 19, claimed the lives of all seven people aboard, including Josh Outram, a commercial pilot and the founder of Africa Heli Adventures.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) confirmed that the aircraft involved was a Eurocopter EC130 B4, registered as 5Y-GYM, which went down at approximately 0913 hrs local time.
The KCAA said the helicopter had been travelling from Loisaba to Ewasonyiro.
A subsequent police report indicated the aircraft had departed from Soyian in Laikipia and was heading to Loisaba Conservancy when the crash occurred.
The ill-fated chopper is believed to be owned by Lady Lori, a Nairobi-based aviation company offering helicopter and fixed-wing charter services across Kenya and East Africa.
Samburu County Police Commander David Nkoroi confirmed that thick smoke was visible rising from the crash site as emergency response teams moved in.
The Seven Who Died
The six other occupants who perished alongside Outram were Roger Duarte, Adam Navaty, Stephen Vasconquez, Henry Parra, Michael Contugi, and Suian Suarez.
Outram's love of Kenyan aviation had defined his entire adult life.
He was a 4th generation Kenyan who, by his own account, had been drawn to aviation from an early age.
He completed his first solo flight in 2021 while working towards his Private Pilot licence, later adding a Commercial Pilot qualification and accumulating more than 15 years of flying experience across both conservation and commercial sectors in Kenya.
He founded Africa Heli Adventures with the specific aim of bringing the remote landscapes of northern Kenya within reach of visitors who would otherwise never see them.
In a previous interview, he described the region's terrain as some of the most extraordinary on the continent.
"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 favourite route was the Suguta Valley, which he described as an unmatched sequence of environments packed into a single journey; wildlife conservancies, volcanic craters, river sandbanks, lava pools, flamingo-filled lake beds, and the shores of Lake Turkana.
"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.
Beyond tourism, Africa Heli Adventures provided aerial support to Loisaba Conservancy and neighbouring conservancies, assisting with wildlife monitoring, animal translocations, and darting operations.
Outram also spoke of involvement in tree-planting projects across drier parts of northern Kenya and expressed particular commitment to the Reteti elephant sanctuary, which he described as a cause close to his heart.
He is remembered as a pilot who turned his passion into a means of conservation and connection, offering others a view of Kenya that few ever get to see.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.