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A Miami Restaurateur Was Among the 7 People Killed in a Kenya Helicopter Crash
Authorities said all 7 people aboard the charter helicopter died as investigators examine the cause and rescue crews faced rough terrain and fire.
A Eurocopter EC130 B4 helicopter crashed Wednesday morning near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County, Kenya, killing all seven people aboard at approximately 9:13 a.m., according to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.
Victims included five U.S. citizens, Ecuador's intelligence chief Michele Sensi-Contugi and his wife Stephany Hollihan, and pilot Josh Outram; among the Americans were Telemundo executive Jose Alberto Suarez and Miami restaurateur Roger Duarte.
Lady Lori Helicopters operated the scenic charter for travel company &Beyond through remote northern Kenya terrain; authorities secured the crash site and launched a formal investigation to determine the cause.
The U.S. Embassy in Kenya is providing consular assistance to families of the five American victims; Ecuador's presidency declared three days of national mourning for Sensi-Contugi and Hollihan, who also held U.S. citizenship.
Fatal helicopter crashes have occurred with increasing frequency in Kenya's tourism sector, which relies on domestic carriers for remote access; incidents include a 2024 military crash and a February accident in the Rift Valley.
Kenyan authorities completed Thursday’s recovery of the bodies of the seven people who died in the helicopter crash near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County, Kenya. Among the victims are Michele Sensi-Contugi, director of Ecuador’s National Intelligence Center (CNI), and his wife Stephany Hollihan.