Seven people, including an Ecuadorian official and an American journalist, were killed when a helicopter carrying tourists on a safari crashed in a remote part of northern Kenya.
The helicopter went down at 9:13 am local time (06:13 GMT) on Wednesday while en route from the Loisaba Conservancy to the Ewaso Nyiro area in Samburu County. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the crash and stated that an investigation is underway.
Officials reported that six passengers and the pilot were on board. David Nkoroi, the police commander for Samburu, confirmed the deaths but did not immediately release the identities of those on board.
Later on Wednesday, Ecuador's Transport Minister Roberto Luque announced that the country's intelligence chief, Michele Sensi-Contugi, and his wife, Stephany Hollihan, were among the victims. Luque expressed his condolences on X, formerly Twitter, stating, "Today Michele and Stephany left us too soon. Thinking of their family, especially their children and parents."
Sensi-Contugi, 42, was a former businessman who was appointed head of Ecuador’s National Intelligence Center in 2024. He was known to be a close associate of President Daniel Noboa.
US broadcaster NBCUniversal confirmed that its journalist Jose Alberto Suarez, president and general manager of Telemundo 31, Telemundo 49, and Telemundo Fort Myers–Naples, was also among those killed.
A spokesperson for the United States Department of State stated that five US citizens were among the deceased. "The US Embassy is in touch with local authorities and is providing consular assistance," the spokesperson said. "We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones on their loss."
The helicopter crashed in a rugged area at the foothills of Mount Ololokwe, a popular tourist destination. The aircraft was owned by local company Lady Lori Helicopters and was operating a charter flight with guests from the travel company &Beyond at the time of the crash.
Tropic Air Kenya, another local safari operator, dispatched two of its helicopters to assist in search and rescue operations.
The Kenya Red Cross reported that its emergency response teams were involved in a multiagency effort, with rescue teams working to access the crash site. Due to ongoing flames at the site, recovery operations were expected to continue on Thursday, with three bodies still trapped in the wreckage as of Wednesday evening.
This incident follows a previous helicopter crash in February that killed a Kenyan legislator and five others in western Kenya.
