Seven killed in tourist helicopter crash in Kenya

Aug 19, 2026

A Eurocopter EC130 B4 tourist helicopter crashed in a remote, rugged area near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County, Kenya, on August 19, 2026, killing all seven people on board. The victims include five U.S. citizens—among them Telemundo executive José Alberto Suárez and Miami restaurateur Roger Duarte—as well as Ecuador's National Intelligence Center director Michele Sensi-Contugi and his wife Stephany Hollihan. Kenyan aviation authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, while recovery efforts by the Kenya Red Cross remain severely challenged by difficult terrain and an active fire.

Kenya safari helicopter crash

▪The helicopter, owned by Lady Lori Helicopters and operating a charter flight for guests of luxury tour agency &Beyond, crashed in the foothills of Mount Ololokwe after departing from the Loisaba Conservancy.
▪A Eurocopter EC130 B4 helicopter carrying six passengers and one pilot crashed on August 19, 2026, at 9:13 a.m. local time in Samburu County, Kenya, killing all seven people on board.

American victims identified

▪José Alberto Suárez, a 55-year-old Florida-based executive and general manager for NBCUniversal's Spanish-language network Telemundo, was killed in the helicopter crash.
▪Miami restaurateur Roger Duarte was identified by his family as one of the victims killed in the Samburu County helicopter crash.
▪The U.S. State Department confirmed that five American citizens were among the seven people killed in the helicopter crash in Samburu County, Kenya.

Ecuador intelligence chief killed

▪Michele Sensi-Contugi, the 42-year-old director general of Ecuador's National Intelligence Center and a close associate of President Daniel Noboa, was killed in the helicopter crash.
▪Stephany Hollihan, the wife of Michele Sensi-Contugi and a dual U.S.-Ecuadorian citizen, was killed alongside her husband in the Samburu County helicopter crash.

Crash investigation underway

▪The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Department launched official investigations to establish the cause of the helicopter crash.
▪The luxury tour agency &Beyond and aircraft owner Lady Lori Helicopters stated that the cause of the crash was undetermined and under active investigation by local authorities.

Difficult terrain rescue operations

▪Kenya Red Cross emergency response teams participated in a multi-agency rescue effort, which was severely hampered by difficult, rugged terrain and an active fire at the crash site.
▪Samburu County police commander David Nkoroi announced that recovery operations were suspended on the night of August 19, 2026, due to darkness, complex ground conditions, and ongoing flames.
▪Tropic Air Kenya dispatched two of its own helicopters to assist in the search, rescue, and recovery operations at the Mount Ololokwe crash site.

Kenya aviation safety concerns

▪A helicopter crash in western Kenya in February 2026 killed six people, including a Kenyan legislator.
▪Helicopter crashes have occurred with increasing regularity in Kenya, where a vibrant tourism industry relies heavily on domestic charter flights to transport visitors to remote destinations.