Helicopter Crash in Kenya Kills Ecuador's Intelligence Chief, His Wife and Five Americans

A tourist helicopter crashed Wednesday morning near Mount Ololokwe in Kenya's Samburu County, killing all seven people on board, according to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.

The crash happened around 9:13 a.m. local time as the aircraft flew from the Loisaba wildlife conservancy toward the Ewaso Nyiro river area, the KCAA said. Fredrick Kabunge, director of Kenya's Aircraft Accident Investigation Department, told AFP there was one pilot and six passengers on board and confirmed there were no survivors.

The helicopter was a Eurocopter EC130 B4, registered 5Y-GYM, operated by Nairobi-based Lady Lori Helicopters on a charter for luxury safari operator &Beyond, according to Fox News and Ground News. The company said in a social media statement it was "deeply saddened" by the crash and extended condolences to "the guests, crew, their families and loved ones."

Among the dead: Michele Sensi-Contugi, 42 or 44 depending on the outlet, director of Ecuador's National Intelligence Center and a close ally of President Daniel Noboa. His wife, designer Stephany Hollihan, a dual Ecuadorian-American citizen, also died. Ecuador's Transport Minister Roberto Luque wrote on X, "Today Michele and Stephany left us too soon. Thinking of their family, especially their children and parents." Ecuador's presidential office and Vice President María José Pinto both issued condolences.

Sensi-Contugi had served as Ecuador's interior minister for several months before heading the intelligence agency, appointed in 2024. He came out of the apparel business before moving into government under Noboa, whose administration has leaned heavily on U.S. cooperation in its fight against drug cartels.

The U.S. State Department confirmed five American citizens died but did not release names, citing privacy. "We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones on their loss," a State Department spokesperson said, according to Fox News, which also noted the department's statement that "the Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans."

Those five Americans were identified through other channels. José Alberto Suárez, 55, president and general manager of three Telemundo stations in Florida, was named by NBCUniversal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde in a message to staff. "José was an exceptional colleague who cared deeply about his teams, the communities they served and the important role our stations play in people's lives," Conde and two other NBCUniversal executives said in a statement.

Roger Duarte, 42, was also killed. Duarte owned George Stone Crab in Miami and was executive director of the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, according to Ground News. U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., said he and his wife were "heartbroken" by Duarte's death and posted on X that "our prayers are with their loved ones during this incredibly difficult time."

Kenyan publication Tuko News identified the pilot as Josh Outram, director of African Heli Adventures, and named additional passengers as Adam Navaty, Henry Parra and Susan Suarez, according to the Epoch Times.

The Kenya Red Cross said its emergency teams reached the crash site Wednesday afternoon but that recovery work was slow going. "Search and recovery efforts are ongoing, hampered by difficult terrain access and an active fire at the crash site," the organization said in an update, adding that a reinforcement team had been dispatched from Isiolo.

By Wednesday evening, Samburu County police chief David Nkoroi told AFP that "operations have been suspended until tomorrow because of darkness and the complex nature of the ground and the scene of the crash."

Mount Ololokwe is considered sacred by the Samburu people and its roughly 6,560-foot summit is a popular draw for hikers and helicopter sightseeing tours, according to AFP reporting carried by Vanguard and inkl. Kenya's tourism sector relies heavily on small aircraft and helicopter charters to move visitors between remote conservancies, and this is not the country's first fatal crash in recent memory. AFP noted that in March a helicopter crash in western Kenya killed six people, including a sitting member of parliament.

No cause has been determined for Wednesday's crash. Kenya's Air Accident Investigation Department and the country's transport ministry have opened a formal investigation, according to Ground News, though recovery of wreckage and remains was still incomplete as of Wednesday night local time due to the terrain and an active fire.

Killing a sitting foreign intelligence chief, a Telemundo executive and other private citizens on the same aircraft is unusual and will draw scrutiny in both Kenya and Ecuador as investigators try to determine whether mechanical failure, weather, pilot error or some combination caused the aircraft to go down. Kenyan authorities have not yet released a timeline for when findings might be made public.