Kathmandu— Seven people were killed when a helicopter crashed in a remote part of northern Kenya on Wednesday morning while transporting tourists on a safari. Among the victims were Michele Sensi-Contugi, the head of Ecuador's National Intelligence Center, his wife Stephany Hollihan, and Jose Alberto Suarez, a journalist with NBCUniversal’s Telemundo network. The crash occurred at 9:13 am local time as the helicopter flew from Loisaba Conservancy to Ewaso Nyiro in Samburu County, prompting an investigation by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.

Victims Identified

Ecuadorian Transport Minister Roberto Luque confirmed that Michele Sensi-Contugi and his wife were among those killed, expressing condolences to their family. Sensi-Contugi, 42, had been appointed head of Ecuador’s National Intelligence Center in 2024 and was a close associate of President Daniel Noboa. NBCUniversal also reported the death of Jose Alberto Suarez, president and general manager of Telemundo stations in Florida. A spokesperson for the US Department of State confirmed that five American citizens were among the seven fatalities and that consular assistance was being provided to their families.

Crash Details and Response

The helicopter, a Eurocopter EC130 B4 operated by Lady Lori Helicopters, crashed in rugged terrain near Mount Ololokwe. It had been carrying guests of travel company &Beyond on a charter flight. Tropic Air Kenya dispatched helicopters to assist with search and rescue efforts, while the Kenya Red Cross participated in a multiagency response. As of Wednesday evening, three bodies remained trapped in the wreckage, with recovery operations expected to continue Thursday due to ongoing flames at the crash site.

Recent Helicopter Accidents

This incident marks another helicopter crash in Kenya, which relies heavily on domestic air travel to support its tourism industry and transport visitors to remote locations. In February, a Kenyan legislator was among six people killed in a similar accident in western Kenya.

Recovery operations are ongoing at the crash site, with authorities working to retrieve the remaining bodies and determine the cause of the incident.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.