SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - Three San Diegans were killed in a helicopter crash involving two other American tourists and a local pilot that occurred in Kenya Sunday night.
Their helicopter crashed on an island in Lake Turkana in the north, police said Monday.
The family of Brandon Stapper told News 8 he was killed, along with his best friend Asher Burke. Brandon was from San Diego.
Later on Monday, the mayor of Coronado, Richard Bailey, shared on Facebook that David Baker - a Coronado resident - was also among those killed.
The above photo of Brandon Stapper was provided by his brother Brett Stapper.
Brandon's friend Asher, in the photo below, split his time between San Diego and Puerto Rico.
The above photo of Asher Burke was provided by Brett Stapper.
David Baker was described as a family man and businessman in the post by Coronado's mayor seen below. Mayor Richard Bailey - who said he considered Baker to be one of his best friends - told News 8 Baker was 48 years, a father of two and had lived in Coronado for several years.
The crash occurred Sunday night in Central Island National Park as two helicopters took off after a visit to the Lobolo tented camp, according to an internal police report seen by The Associated Press.
One helicopter lost contact and crashed soon after takeoff around 8:30 p.m., Kenya's Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement. It said a search and rescue mission found the wreckage shortly after 3 a.m.
It said an investigation was under way into the cause of the crash.
The United States Embassy confirmed the deaths of the four Americans and the names of three of them: Anders Asher Jesiah Burke, Brandon Howe Stapper and Kyle John Forti.
The embassy referred further questions to Kenyan authorities.
Last month two Americans were among five people killed when their plane crashed as they were traveling to Lodwar near Lake Turkana. Kenyan police had reported three Americans killed but the U.S. Embassy confirmed two.
This is a group photo of the entrepreneurs checking out the site of a hotel development last week in Kenya.
