Seven people, including a US media executive and four other Americans, have died after a safari helicopter crashed in a remote region of northern Kenya on Wednesday.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that an investigation is underway after the crash, which occurred at 9:13 a.m. while the aircraft was traveling from the Loisaba Conservancy to the Ewaso Nyiro region in Samburu County. Six passengers and a pilot were on board the flight.
David Nkoroi, the police commander for Samburu, told reporters that all seven people on the aircraft were killed.
NBCUniversal later said that José Alberto Suárez — president and general manager of Telemundo 31, Telemundo 49, and Telemundo Ft. Myers–Naples — was killed in the crash.
The 55-year-old, who had 25 years of experience in the media, was among five Americans who were killed in the crash.
“We are heartbroken to learn the tragic news that José was killed in a helicopter accident in Kenya,” NBCU Newsgroup Chairman Cesar Conde, NBCU Local Chairman Valari Staab and Telemundo Station Group President Jose Cancela wrote in a joint statement.
“José was an exceptional colleague who cared deeply about his teams, the communities they served and the important role our stations play in people’s lives. He brought energy, humor, warmth and a strong sense of purpose to his work, and his impact was felt far beyond the stations he led. Our hearts are with his loved ones, and with all of José’s colleagues and friends who are grieving this terrible loss.”
The other victims were identified by Kenyan police as Roger Edward Duarte; Adam Martin Hlavaty; Henry Parra; Stephany Maria Hollihan Vasconez; Michele Sensi Contugi; and pilot Josh Outram, ABC News reported.
Duarte was a fixture of Miami’s restaurant scene and the founder of George Stone Crab, according to the Miami New Times. “Roger was an angel,” a friend wrote. “My beloved friend since college. His wife, too. They embodied love, light, and loyalty.”
Parra and Hlavaty were a married South Florida couple who enjoyed traveling, NBC News reported.
Contugi, an Ecuadorian intelligence official, was married to Vasconez, who was a dual US citizen, according to The New York Post. Ecuador’s president expressed his condolences over the passing of Contugi and Vasconez in a Wednesday X post.
The US state department wrote, “The U.S. Embassy is in touch with local authorities and is providing consular assistance. We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones on their loss.”
Local media reported that the aircraft went down in a rugged area near the base of Mount Ololokwe, a popular destination for visitors.
The helicopter, owned by local firm Lady Lori Helicopters, was transporting guests associated with the travel operator &Beyond. In a statement, Lady Lori Helicopters noted that the aircraft was performing a charter flight when the crash occurred.
To assist with search and rescue operations, local safari operator Tropic Air Kenya stated that it dispatched two of its helicopters to the scene.
The civil aviation authority specified that the involved aircraft was a Eurocopter EC130 B4.
Emergency response teams from the Kenya Red Cross were “participating in a multiagency response effort as rescue teams work to access the crash site,” the organization said.
The incident comes amid a growing number of helicopter crashes in Kenya, where the tourism industry relies heavily on domestic aviation companies to transport travelers to distant landmarks like Mount Ololokwe.
In February, six people, including a legislator, were killed when a helicopter crashed in a hilly part of western Kenya.
