Samburu county, Kenya — Seven people were killed when a helicopter crashed in northern Kenya on Wednesday, including Michele Sensi-Contugi, director general of Ecuador’s National Intelligence Center (CNI), his wife Stephany Hollihan, and José Alberto Suárez, a senior Telemundo executive in Florida.
The U.S. State Department said five of those killed were U.S. citizens. “The U.S. embassy is in touch with local authorities and is providing consular assistance,” the department said, extending its condolences to the victims’ families and loved ones.
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The identities of all the victims have not been publicly released. However, a Miami television station reported that José Suárez, 55, president and general manager of several Telemundo stations in Florida, was among those killed.
“We are heartbroken to learn the tragic news that José was killed in a helicopter accident in Kenya,” NBCUniversal and Telemundo leadership said in a joint statement quoted by the NBC affiliate in Miami.
Suárez had been at the helm of Telemundo stations in Orlando, Tampa and Fort Myers-Naples since 2024.
“José was an exceptional colleague and mentor to many. He cared deeply about his teams, the communities they served and the essential role our stations play in people’s lives,” the company said.
“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,” it added.
Ecuador’s Presidency also confirmed the deaths of Sensi-Contugi and his wife.
“The Presidency of the Republic of Ecuador expresses its deep sorrow over the deaths of Michele Sensi-Contugi, director general of the National Intelligence Center, and his wife, Stephany Hollihan,” the Executive Branch said in a press release.
Sensi-Contugi, 44, was considered one of the officials closest to Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa and had headed the CNI, formerly known as CIES, since January 2024.
According to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), the helicopter crashed at 9:13 a.m. local time (6:13 GMT) in Samburu County, near Mount Ololokwe, a rugged area and popular tourist destination.
The Eurocopter EC130 B4 was reportedly flying between Loisaba and Ewasonyiro when the accident occurred. The helicopter, operated by local company Lady Lori Helicopters, was carrying guests traveling with tour operator &Beyond.
Lady Lori Helicopters said the aircraft was operating a charter flight when it crashed.
The crash claimed the lives of all six passengers and the pilot. Kenyan authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the accident.
