Ecuador Intelligence Chief, U.S TV Executive and five others killed in Kenya’s helicopter crash

A top-ranking Ecuador’s Intelligence Officer Michele Sensi-Contugi was killed in the chopper accident which occurred in Kenya.

Sensi Contugi and his wife Stephany Hollihan were among the seven people that perished when the safari chopper accident happened in Samburu County at approximately 09:13 local time (06:13 GMT).

Five American Nationals were also killed in the aircraft crash, the US State Department spokesperson has admitted.

Five U.S residents, including a prominent American television executive Jose Suarez were killed in the crash.

However, the identities of the other American passengers have not yet been released.

The crash occurred at Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County, about 270 kilometers (168 miles) north of the capital, Nairobi.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has confirmed an aircraft crash which occurred at Lolokwe Mountain in Samburu County on 19 August 2026.

The accident involved a Eurocopter EC130 B4, registration 5Y-GYM, which was flying from Loisaaba to Ewaso Nyiro when it crashed in the forest at approximately 9:13 a.m.

​It took time before rescue teams managed to get to the scene of the accident

Kenya Civil Aviation stated that relevant agencies are coordinating the response, while the Air Accident Investigation Department is leading investigations into the circumstances of the crash.

The authority has expressed condolences to the families of the victims.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said the helicopter was on a scenic flight from a wildlife conservancy in Loisaba to Ewaso Nyiro, a river that flows along several national reserves.

The transport ministry and Air Accident Investigations Department would lead “investigations into the circumstances surrounding the accident”, it added.

Samburu county is a popular tourist destination with many private wildlife conservancies and is renowned for its stunning landscape.

Images from the scene show smoke at the wooded crash site on Mount Ololokwe, as members of the Kenya Red Cross approach the still-burning wreckage.

“The National Government expresses its most heartfelt condolences over the sensitive passing of Michele Sensi-Contugi and his wife Stephany Hollihan,” Ecuador’s presidential office said in a statement on Twitter (X).

Former President of Ecuador Guillermo Lasso also paid tribute on Twitter, confirming the couple died in the helicopter crash.

The late Sensi-Contugi, 44, was named director general of the Strategic Intelligence Center of Ecuador in 2024.