Samburu County, Kenya: A Eurocopter EC130 B4 operated by Lady Lori Helicopters crashed in northern Kenya’s Samburu County on Wednesday, August 19, killing all seven people aboard, including six passengers and the pilot. The helicopter was operating a charter flight carrying guests of a luxury safari company &Beyond crashed at about 9:13 a.m. local time in rugged terrain near Mount Ololokwe, a popular tourist destination.
Kenya’s Civil Aviation Authority said the aircraft was flying from the Loisaba Conservancy toward the Ewaso Nyiro area when the accident occurred. The helicopter came down in the foothills of Mount Ololokwe, where difficult terrain and an active fire at the wreckage hampered access and recovery efforts. The exact cause of the crash has not been determined and remains under investigation.
The seven people killed were Americans Roger Edward Duarte, Adam Martin Hlavaty, Henry Parra and José Alberto Suárez; Ecuadorian-American Stephany Maria Hollihan Vasconez; Ecuadorian intelligence chief Michele Sensi-Contugi; and Kenyan pilot Josh Outram, according to information provided to ABC News by Samburu police commander David Nkoroi. Five of the seven victims were U.S. citizens.
Among the passengers was 42-year-old Michele Sensi-Contugi, director of Ecuador’s National Intelligence Center and a close associate of President Daniel Noboa. His wife, Stephany Hollihan, who held U.S. and Ecuadorian citizenship, was also killed. Ecuadorian officials confirmed the deaths, with Transport Minister Roberto Luque saying, “Today Michele and Stephany left us too soon. Thinking of their family, especially their children and parents.” The couple are survived by two children.
Another prominent victim was 55-year-old José Alberto Suárez, president and general manager of Telemundo 31, Telemundo 49 and Telemundo Fort Myers-Naples. Company leaders also said, “José was an exceptional colleague and mentor to many,” while remembering his commitment to his teams and the communities served by the stations. Suárez had previously worked at CBS Miami and had a long career in U.S. television news.
Miami businessman and restaurateur Roger Edward Duarte was also among those killed. His family confirmed his death and said they were “devastated and heartbroken,” adding that “The magnitude of this tragedy is impossible to comprehend.” The family asked for privacy while grieving the loss.
The pilot, Josh Outram, was a Kenyan aviation professional and founder, director and pilot of Africa Heli Adventures. His company profile says he had more than 15 years of flying experience in Kenya across conservation and commercial aviation and specialized in helicopter operations in remote areas of East Africa. Earlier conservation records also identify Outram as a pilot supporting wildlife operations in Kenya.
The helicopter was owned and operated by Lady Lori Helicopters, a Kenyan aviation company. Lady Lori confirmed that the aircraft was conducting a charter flight when it crashed and said the cause remained under investigation. The company was carrying guests travelling with &Beyond, which confirmed that one of its guest helicopters had crashed near Mount Ololokwe. &Beyond said, “The cause of the crash has not yet been determined and is under investigation by the relevant local authorities,” while expressing its “deepest sympathies with all those affected.”
The crash triggered a multi-agency search and recovery operation in one of the region’s most difficult areas. The Kenya Red Cross said its emergency response teams were “participating in a multiagency response effort as rescue teams work to access the crash site.” It later reported that “Search and recovery efforts are ongoing, hampered by difficult terrain access and an active fire at the crash site.” Images released from the operation showed rescue personnel working around the wreckage.
Tropic Air Kenya, which was not the operator of the crashed aircraft, sent two of its helicopters to assist with search-and-rescue operations. The company operates charter and helicopter services from Kenya and has experience supporting operations in remote and inaccessible areas.
By Wednesday evening, recovery work was still being affected by the flames and the difficult terrain. Reports said that three bodies remained trapped in the wreckage and that recovery operations were expected to continue on Thursday because of the ongoing fire.
Kenya’s Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the aircraft type as a Eurocopter EC130 B4 and said an investigation was underway. The authority also extended its “deepest condolences to the families of the victims following the tragic accident.”
The U.S. State Department confirmed that five American citizens were among those killed, while the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi began working with Kenyan authorities and the victims’ families. “The U.S. Embassy is in touch with local authorities and is providing consular assistance,” the department said. “We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones on their loss.”
The investigation will now focus on establishing what caused the EC130 B4 to crash during the charter flight. At present, authorities and the operators have not released a technical explanation for the accident.
