Ecuador intelligence chief among seven killed in Samburu helicopter crash

All seven people on board a helicopter died when the aircraft crashed at Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County on Wednesday morning.

The Eurocopter EC130 B4, registration 5Y-GYM and operated by Lady Lori, went down at approximately 0913 local time. The six tourists had been flown from Suiyan in Loisaba Conservancy, Laikipia County, to Mount Ololokwe when the helicopter crashed at the foot of a rocky hill.

The deceased include the Kenyan pilot and director of African Heli Adventures, Josh Outram. Also killed were Ecuador’s intelligence chief Michele Sensi-Contugi and his wife Stephany Hollihan Yeaza, who held Ecuadorian and American citizenship.

Five of the victims were American citizens with links to Miami, Florida, where most were corporate executives or business leaders. They included José Alberto Suárez, the president and general manager of Telemundo 31, Telemundo 49 and Telemundo Ft. Myers–Naples, Roger Duarte, founder of George Stone Crab, Adam Hlavaty, co-founder of Mrkt Group, a real estate development company, and Henry Parra, an aviation software executive from Miami.

The identities were confirmed through a police report, with American media citing the State Department on the nationalities.

Outram was a highly experienced pilot who had operated in rugged northern Kenya for several years as a tour operator, supporting security surveillance in wildlife conservancies. In an earlier interview with Loisaba’s Elewana Collection, he spoke of his passion for flying and the landscapes of the north.

“I am hugely passionate about flying and what Kenya has to offer. The North has some of the most diverse landscapes over a very short distance. What I get to see every day is something that I feel everyone coming through Kenya should to see,” he said.

The death of Sensi-Contugi and his wife was confirmed in a statement posted on the Ecuadorian President’s official X account. The National Government extended its deepest condolences to their families and close associates.

According to Ecuadorian media, Sensi-Contugi served as Minister of the Interior from April to August 2024 before taking over as Director of the National Intelligence Centre. He was described as a close confidant of President Daniel Noboa.

NBC 6 reported that the death of Suárez, 55, was communicated through a joint statement by NBCUniversal executives, who described him as an exceptional colleague. The family of Duarte, 39, also issued a statement confirming the loss of their relative and friends in the crash.

Local tour operator Diba Ngera, one of the first responders, said Mount Ololokwe is frequented by tourists seeking breakfast at its peak or sunset views over the Matthews ranges. He noted that the peak experiences strong winds and that locals had erected warning signs for pilots.

Samburu County Police Commander David Nkoroi said the cause of the accident had yet to be established. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority is coordinating with the Air Accident Investigation Department, which is leading the inquiry.