Seven people — six safari tourists and the pilot flying them — were killed when their helicopter went down in the highlands near Mount Ololokwe in Kenya’s Samburu County on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. Among the dead were a top Ecuadorean intelligence chief, a Telemundo station executive and a well-known Miami seafood entrepreneur, officials confirmed.
The aircraft, a Eurocopter EC130 B4, lifted off from the Loisaba wildlife conservancy and was headed in the direction of the Ewaso Nyiro River when it crashed at roughly 9:13 a.m. local time. People in the area reported seeing flames and a column of smoke climbing from the tree-covered slope well before rescue crews could get close. All seven on board were killed, according to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA). The helicopter was operated by Lady Lori Helicopters on behalf of the luxury safari outfit &Beyond.
Samburu County police commander David Nkoroi identified the victims as pilot Josh Outram and six passengers: Michele Sensi-Contugi; Stephany Maria Hollihan Vásconez; José Alberto Suárez; Henry Parra; Adam Martin Hlavaty; and Roger Edward Duarte. The U.S. State Department put the number of Americans killed at five, an upward revision from an initial figure of four.
Ecuador Declares National Mourning
Sensi-Contugi, 44, was director of Ecuador’s Center of Strategic Intelligence (CIES) and was politically close to Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa. A businessman of Italian and Ecuadorean background, he took over the CIES in January 2024 and afterward spent four months as a minister in Noboa’s cabinet. On the flight with him was his wife, Stephany Hollihan, 42, a fashion designer who was also a U.S. citizen. Hollihan founded the label Sensi Studio, known for building traditional Ecuadorean fabrics and materials into its pieces.
Three days of national mourning were declared by the president, beginning Thursday, August 20. Both Ecuador’s office of the president and the National Assembly issued formal condolences over the couple’s deaths.
Telemundo and Miami Grieve Their Own
Suárez, 55, was born in Florida and had spent 25 years in broadcasting, most recently supervising Telemundo stations serving Orlando, Tampa and the Fort Myers-Naples market. He was widely regarded as one of the driving figures in Spanish-language local television. In a joint statement, César Conde, Valari Staab and José Cancela — all executives at NBCUniversal — described him as “an exceptional colleague” and a mentor to many.
South Florida lost a second familiar name in Duarte, 42, a seafood entrepreneur whose ventures included the My Ceviche restaurant chain as well as George Stone Crab. He made Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in 2012. His wife, Nicole Valls, belongs to the family that owns the well-known Versailles and La Carreta restaurant brands.
Relatives confirmed that Duarte had been aboard the helicopter and, in a statement, said they were “devastated and heartbroken” by his death.
U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., offered prayers for the families during what he described as a difficult time, saying the memories of those killed would be a blessing.
Difficult Terrain Hampered Recovery Efforts
A multi-agency search and recovery effort got underway within hours, the Kenya Red Cross said, though crews ran into real trouble on the ground. Fire burning at the impact point, combined with how isolated and steep the Mount Ololokwe site is, slowed the work considerably. Images from the scene showed Kenya Red Cross workers making their way toward the wreckage as smoke still drifted off the wooded hillside.
Sweeping scenery, private conservancies and abundant wildlife draw foreign visitors to Samburu County, and helicopter excursions of the sort the group had booked are a common way to see it. Fatal helicopter accidents are not rare in Kenya: a crash in Nandi County on February 28 killed six people, one of them a member of parliament.
What brought the aircraft down has not been established, the KCAA said, and officials describe the matter as still under investigation. Lady Lori Helicopters said it was devastated by what happened and that its “deepest sympathies” lay with the guests, crew, their families and everyone else affected. &Beyond said it would release more details in due course out of respect for those involved, noting the inquiry rests with local authorities.
According to the State Department, the embassy has been in touch with Kenyan officials and is offering consular help to the families of the Americans who died.
