Three Tourists Died on Top of Mount Kilimanjaro

Three tourists, including an American climber, have been killed in a Mount Kilimanjaro rock slide accident after strong winds swept the mountain top and rains poured on a loose rock that hit the climbers last week.

Mount Kilimanjaro Park authorities confirmed the death of three tourists and said there were several injured climbers, mostly local porters and mountain climbing guides.

A rock slide from the top of the mountain fell and hit a group of tourists, and authorities said it was an accident caused by a rapid change of the mountain weather. One tourist and four guides were seriously injured in the accident and have been admitted in a hospital.

Police in northern Tanzania´s Mountain region of Kilimanjaro and the Park authorities could not immediately release the names of the dead tourists as the rescue team has been working out to look for more, possible victims trapped in the loose mountain soil.

But the Mountain Park authorities said accidents of such nature are rarely observed compared with frequent weather changes which usually cause high altitude sickness with no harm to a healthy climber.

Mount Kilimanjaro dominates the surrounding savannah plains of northern Tanzania, just south of the equator and has been receiving between 21,000 and 25,000 climbers each year, with their numbers growing steadily.