Seven people have died after a helicopter crashed at the foot of Mt Ololokwe in Samburu County, with authorities now investigating the cause of the accident.

The victims have been identified as pilot Josh Outram and six passengers: Roger Duarte, Adam Navaty, Stephen Vasconquez, Henry Parra, Michael Contugi and Suian Suarez.

Outram was a fourth-generation Kenyan pilot with more than 15 years of experience in aviation. He had worked in both the tourism and conservation sectors and operated flights in northern Kenya.

The helicopter, a Eurocopter EC130 B4 registered as 5Y-GYM, was travelling from Soyian in Laikipia towards Loisaba Conservancy when it crashed at Mt Ololokwe.

Police, emergency responders and recovery teams were deployed to the remote location following the accident. The difficult terrain around the mountain has made the recovery operation challenging.

The Air Accident Investigation Department under the Ministry of Roads and Transport has taken charge of the investigation.

Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft wreckage, available flight information and other evidence as they work to establish what happened before the crash.

The cause of the accident has not yet been established. Authorities have not confirmed whether weather, a mechanical problem, pilot error or another factor contributed to the crash.

The nationalities of the six passengers had also not been officially confirmed at the time of reporting, as identification and notification procedures continued.

The tragedy has drawn attention to the dangers of aviation operations in remote areas and the importance of thorough investigations after serious aircraft accidents.

Authorities are expected to release more information as the recovery operation and investigation continue.