Seven people killed on a luxury safari charter helicopter in Kenya (video)

Seven people were killed on Wednesday, 19 August 2026, when a luxury safari charter helicopter crashed near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County, northern Kenya. There were no survivors. 

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) confirmed that the aircraft was carrying six tourists and one pilot

• Five Americans were among the dead. This included José Alberto Suárez, a prominent television executive and president of multiple NBCUniversal/Telemundo-owned stations, and Roger Duarte, a 39-year-old Miami restaurateur and businessman. 
• Michele Sensi-Contugi, the Director of Ecuador’s National Intelligence Center, was killed alongside his wife, Stephany Hollihan Vasconez (a dual US-Ecuadorian citizen). The couple was visiting Kenya as tourists. 
• Josh Outram, a local pilot, was also killed.

The aircraft, a Eurocopter EC130 B4 registered as 5Y-GYM, was operated by Lady Lori Helicopters on behalf of the luxury travel agency &Beyond. 

The flight took off from the Loisaba Conservancy at approximately 9:13 a.m. local time. Local eyewitnesses reported seeing the helicopter circling Mount Ololokwe abnormally before striking a rock face on the side of the mountain and tumbling down into the foothills, where it immediately burst into flames. Emergency response teams from the Kenya Red Cross faced delays in recovering the victims due to the highly rugged terrain and an active post-crash fire. 

Kenya’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Department reported that the aircraft was completely destroyed by the impact and subsequent fire. Because the extreme heat destroyed electronic components, investigators have been unable to download flight data. The investigation is currently relying on operator tracking data and satellite imagery requested from the Kenya Meteorological Department to analyze weather conditions at the time of the crash. A preliminary investigation report is expected within 30 days. 

If you would like to know more, please let me know if you want information on repatriation efforts by the US and Ecuadorian embassies or details regarding recent aviation safety trends in Kenya.