A helicopter crash near Mount Ololokwe in Kenya killed the pilot and all six passengers
A helicopter carrying tourists has crashed in northern Kenya, killing all seven people on board, including five US citizens and Ecuador’s intelligence chief, the authorities have confirmed.
The Eurocopter EC130 B4 went down near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County at approximately 9:13 AM local time on Wednesday, according to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA). The aircraft was carrying six passengers and a pilot on a charter flight from Loisaba Conservancy, a 58,000-acre wildlife reserve and safari destination, toward the Ewaso Nyiro river area, KCAA said in a statement.
“The Ministry of Roads and Transport, Air Accident Investigation Department is leading investigations on circumstances surrounding the accident,” it said.
The victims included Michele Sensi-Contugi, director general of Ecuador’s National Intelligence Center, and his wife, Stephany Hollihan, who also held US citizenship. Jose Alberto Suarez, a senior executive at the US-based Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo, was also killed.
“The US Embassy is in touch with local authorities and is providing consular assistance,” the US State Department spokesperson said, confirming that five Americans died, Reuters reported.
Luxury safari operator &Beyond, which organized the excursion, confirmed that its guests were aboard the helicopter, according to Reuters. “Our deepest sympathies are with the guests, crew, their families and loved ones, and all those affected by this tragic accident,” Lady Lori Helicopters, the aircraft operator, said in a statement.
The Kenya Red Cross said search and recovery operations were “hampered by difficult terrain access and an active fire at the crash site.”
Search and recovery efforts are ongoing, hampered by difficult terrain access and an active fire at the crash site.
An additional team has been dispatched from Isiolo to reinforce the operation.
Sensi-Contugi was a close associate of Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa and headed the country’s intelligence service amid an ongoing campaign by the authorities against powerful criminal organizations. Ecuador’s presidential office confirmed the deaths of Sensi-Contugi and his wife, and declared three days of national mourning from August 20 to 22.
The disaster is Kenya’s second fatal helicopter crash in six months. In February, an Airbus AS350 B3 struck forested terrain in Nandi County, killing lawmaker Johana Ng’eno and five others. A preliminary official report said the aircraft had encountered thick fog, drizzle and visibility of less than 20 meters.
In neighboring Tanzania, five people – including two Czech tourists – died when a medical rescue helicopter crashed on Mount Kilimanjaro in December.
