Horrific Safari Helicopter Crash Kills 7, Including 5 Americans

A helicopter carrying tourists on a safari crashed in a remote area of northern Kenya, killing all seven people on board, including five Americans.

The aircraft went down Wednesday morning while flying between the Loisaba Conservancy and the Ewaso Nyiro area in Samburu County, according to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.

Officials said the crash happened at approximately 9:13 a.m.

All six passengers and the pilot were killed.

The U.S. State Department later confirmed that five Americans were among the victims.

“The U.S. Embassy is in touch with local authorities and is providing consular assistance,” a spokesperson told CBS News. “We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones on their loss.”

Among those killed was José Alberto Suárez, a longtime television executive who served as president and general manager of Telemundo 31, Telemundo 49 and Telemundo Fort Myers-Naples.

Suárez had also previously worked at CBS Miami in the 1990s.

NBCUniversal confirmed his death in a memo to employees, describing him as “a deeply respected leader and beloved friend and colleague.”

“José was an exceptional colleague and mentor to many,” the memo said. “He cared deeply about his teams, the communities they served and the essential role our stations play in people’s lives.”

Miami restaurateur Roger Duarte was also among those killed.

His family released a statement saying they were “devastated and heartbroken” by the tragedy.

“The magnitude of this tragedy is impossible to comprehend, and there are no words to express the depth of our pain,” the family said.

They asked for prayers and privacy as relatives mourned.

Ecuadorian officials also confirmed that the country’s intelligence chief, Michele Sensi-Contugi, and his wife were killed in the crash.

“Today Michele and Stephany left us too soon,” Ecuador Transport Minister Roberto Luque wrote on X. “Thinking of their family, especially their children and parents.”

A statement from the Duarte and Valls families also identified Suárez, Sensi-Contugi and Stephany Holliham Yeaza among the victims and named the pilot and two other passengers.

The helicopter crashed in rugged terrain near the foothills of Mount Ololokwe, a well-known tourist destination in northern Kenya.

The aircraft was owned by Lady Lori Helicopters and was carrying guests traveling with safari company &Beyond.

Lady Lori Helicopters said the aircraft was operating a charter flight at the time of the crash.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority identified the helicopter as a Eurocopter EC130 B4.

Emergency crews faced difficult conditions as they tried to reach the wreckage.

The Kenya Red Cross said its teams were assisting with a multiagency rescue and recovery operation.

“Search and recovery efforts are ongoing, hampered by difficult terrain access and an active fire at the crash site,” the organization said.

Tropic Air Kenya, another safari operator, said it sent two helicopters to assist with the emergency response.

Authorities have not yet announced what caused the helicopter to go down.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said an investigation is underway.

The crash is the latest in a string of fatal helicopter accidents in Kenya, where aircraft are frequently used to transport tourists and officials across remote terrain.

In February, six people, including a lawmaker, were killed in another helicopter crash in western Kenya.

In 2019, four Americans and a Kenyan pilot died when their helicopter crashed on an island in the northern part of the country.

For now, investigators are focusing on the circumstances surrounding Wednesday’s deadly crash as families in the U.S., Ecuador and elsewhere mourn the seven people killed.