Helicopter Crash in Kenya Kills Seven Including Ecuador Intelligence Chief

A Eurocopter EC130 B4 safari helicopter crashed Wednesday morning in the rugged foothills of Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County, Kenya, killing all seven people on board. The aircraft, owned by Lady Lori Helicopters, was operating a charter flight for guests from the travel company &Beyond, traveling from the Loisaba Conservancy toward the Ewaso Nyiro River area.

The victims included five U.S. citizens: Telemundo executive José Suárez, Miami restaurateur Roger Duarte, real estate executive Adam Hlavaty, aviation maintenance co-founder Henry Parra, and fashion designer Stephany Hollihan. Also killed were the pilot, Josh Outram, founder of Africa Heli Adventures, and Michele Sensi-Contugi, the director of Ecuador's National Intelligence Center. Sensi-Contugi was a close ally of President Daniel Noboa and managed the country's intelligence during a period of intense drug violence.

Recovery efforts led by the Kenya Red Cross Society were hampered by difficult terrain and an active fire at the crash site. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority and the Ministry of Transport have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident. NBC Universal expressed heartbreak over the loss of Suárez, who served as a president and general manager for several Telemundo stations.