A tragic helicopter crash occurred on Wednesday morning in a remote area of northern Kenya, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals, including a senior intelligence official from Ecuador and his wife. The crash was reported by local police.
The helicopter, on a flight from the Loisaba Conservancy to the Ewaso Nyiro area in Samburu County, went down at 9:13 a.m. according to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority. Among those on board were six passengers and the pilot.
By late Wednesday, Samburu Police Commander David Nkoroi confirmed that all seven on board had perished, though names were not immediately released. In Ecuador, President Daniel Noboa’s government announced on social media that the deceased included Michele Sensi-Contugi, Director of the National Intelligence Center, and his wife, Stephany Hollihan. A statement expressing the government’s condolences to the families and friends of the victims followed.
The helicopter crashed in rugged terrain at the foothills of Mount Ololokwe, a well-known tourist spot in Kenya, as reported by local media. Owned by local company Lady Lori Helicopters, the aircraft was carrying guests from travel company &Beyond. In a statement, Lady Lori Helicopters mentioned the helicopter was on a charter flight when the crash happened.
Local safari operator Tropic Air Kenya deployed two helicopters to assist with search and rescue efforts. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority identified the helicopter as a Eurocopter EC130 B4. Meanwhile, the Kenya Red Cross stated that their emergency response teams were involved in a multi-agency response effort as rescue teams attempted to access the crash site.
Helicopter accidents have been increasingly common in Kenya, a country with a vibrant tourism industry relying heavily on domestic air travel to remote destinations like Mount Ololokwe. Back in February, six lives were lost in a helicopter crash in the mountainous region of western Kenya.
The Associated Press journalist Gonzalo Solano contributed to this report from Quito, Ecuador.