A helicopter crash in Samburu County has claimed seven lives, including a senior Ecuadorian intelligence official, his wife, four American tourists and a Kenyan pilot.
The Eurocopter EC130 B4, operated by Lady Lori Helicopters, crashed shortly after taking off from Suyian Conservancy near the foothills of Mount Ololokwe on Thursday.
Among those killed was Michele Sensi-Contugi, 44, the Director General of Ecuador’s Strategic Intelligence Center (CIES) and a close ally of President Daniel Noboa.
His wife, Stephany Vásconez, also died in the crash. The couple held dual Ecuadorian and Italian citizenship.
Four American tourists were also on board. They were identified as Roger Duarte, a Miami-based food entrepreneur, Adam Navaty, Henry Parra and Suian Suarez.
The aircraft’s pilot, Captain Josh Outram, also died in the crash. Outram was a Kenyan aviator and founder of Africa Heli Adventures.
The helicopter reportedly crashed and caught fire in the rugged terrain shortly after departure.
The difficult terrain complicated the recovery operation, forcing emergency teams to use drones to locate the wreckage and identify the victims.
Kenya’s Air Accident Investigation Department has opened an investigation into the crash as authorities work to establish what caused the helicopter to go down.
Officials are considering technical failure and pilot error among the possible causes, although the investigation is expected to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Diplomatic authorities from Kenya, Ecuador, Italy and the United States are also coordinating the identification and repatriation of the victims.
The crash has raised fresh attention on the safety of helicopter operations in Kenya’s remote safari destinations, where aircraft are frequently used to transport tourists to conservancies and luxury lodges.
