- On August 19, 2026, a safari charter helicopter crashed near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County, as confirmed by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and local law enforcement.
- All seven people on board died in the crash, including five American citizens.
- The helicopter, a Eurocopter EC130 B4, was flying from the Loisaba Conservancy area toward the Ewaso Nyiro River, with the flight booked by luxury travel company andBeyond for its guests.
- Emergency response included the Kenya Red Cross using reconnaissance drones and backup units from Isiolo, and Tropic Air Kenya dispatching two helicopters, but police commander David Nkoroi confirmed there were no survivors.
- Among the American victims were José Alberto Suárez, 55, president and general manager of several Telemundo TV stations in Florida, and Roger Edward Duarte, 42, founder of George Stone Crab and My Ceviche.
- The crash also killed Michele Sensi-Contugi, 42, Director General of Ecuador's National Intelligence Center, who was vacationing with his wife Stephany Hollihan, a fashion designer and founder of Sensi Studio with dual U.S.-Ecuadorian citizenship.
- Other American passengers included Adam Martin Hlavaty and Henry Parra, along with experienced charter pilot Josh Outram.
A helicopter crash near Mount Ololokwe in Kenya on August 19, 2026, resulted in the tragic deaths of seven individuals, including five Americans. The helicopter, a Eurocopter EC130 B4, was on a charter flight booked by luxury travel company andBeyond, flying from the Loisaba Conservancy to the Ewaso Nyiro River.145
Among the American victims was José Alberto Suárez, 55, the president and general manager of several Telemundo TV stations in Florida. Also killed was Roger Edward Duarte, 42, a Miami restaurateur known for founding George Stone Crab and My Ceviche. The crash claimed the life of Michele Sensi-Contugi, 42, Ecuador's National Intelligence Center Director General, who was vacationing with his wife, Stephany Hollihan, a fashion designer.8910
The other American victims included Adam Martin Hlavaty and Henry Parra, along with experienced charter pilot Josh Outram. Local authorities confirmed that emergency crews from the Kenya Red Cross and local operator Tropic Air Kenya responded quickly, but police commander David Nkoroi stated there were no survivors.6711
The crash has raised concerns about aviation safety in Kenya, where historical data from the KCAA indicates that mechanical failures account for about 33.3% of aviation accidents, while pilot error is responsible for 19.4% of incidents. This incident follows a previous helicopter crash in February 2026 that killed six people in Nandi County.
“The Eurocopter EC130 B4 was flying from Loisaba Conservancy toward the Ewaso Nyiro River when it went down, with emergency crews from Kenya Red Cross and Tropic Air Kenya responding. Among the dead were José Alberto Suárez, 55, president of Telemundo stations, and Michele Sensi-Contugi, 42, Ecuador's intelligence director.”
