Five Americans, Ecuador Intelligence Chief Killed in Kenya Helicopter Crash

Five Americans and the Director General of Ecuador’s intelligence agency have died in a helicopter crash in Kenya.

The aircraft crashed on Wednesday morning near Mount Ololokwe in central Kenya, with seven people reportedly on board, according to Kenya’s civil aviation authority.

The helicopter was carrying guests from luxury tour company &Beyond. The operator, Lady Lori Helicopters, said the cause of the crash had not yet been determined.

Among those killed was Michele Sensi-Contugi, the Director General of Ecuador’s intelligence agency, who was travelling with his wife, Stephany Sensi, a fashion designer. Ecuadorian state media confirmed their deaths.

José Suárez, an executive with Spanish-language television company Telemundo, was also reported to have died in the crash.

Ecuador’s presidential office expressed condolences to the family of Sensi-Contugi following the incident.

The United States Department of State also confirmed the deaths of five American citizens and said the US Embassy was working with local authorities to provide consular assistance.

“The US Embassy is in touch with local authorities and is providing consular assistance,” a State Department spokesperson said while extending condolences to the victims’ families.

The helicopter, an Airbus Helicopters Eurocopter EC130 B4, was reportedly travelling from the Loisaba wildlife conservancy towards the Ewaso Ngiro River when it crashed.

Images and videos circulating on social media appeared to show smoke rising from the base of a mountain in the area where the aircraft went down.

The Kenya Red Cross said search and recovery operations were launched after the crash, but responders faced difficulties because of the rugged terrain and an active fire at the crash site.

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

An additional response team was also dispatched from Isiolo to reinforce the operation. The EC130 B4 is a single-engine helicopter manufactured by Airbus Helicopters, formerly Eurocopter. The aircraft can carry between five and seven passengers in addition to a pilot and has a maximum speed of about 286 kilometres per hour.

Kenya’s Ministry of Transport has commenced an investigation into the crash to determine what caused the helicopter to go down.

Authorities are expected to release further details as the investigation and recovery operations continue.