Telemundo executive, Miami businessman among seven killed in Kenya Safari helicopter crash
A rescue official works at the site of a tourist helicopter crash that caused multiple casualties, according to the police, in Samburu County, Kenya, August 19, 2026. PHOTO I REUTERS
Nairobi. A respected Telemundo executive, a prominent Miami businessman and Ecuador’s intelligence chief were among seven people killed when a safari helicopter crashed and burst into flames in northern Kenya on Wednesday.
The helicopter crashed shortly before 9:15am in the rugged foothills of Mount Ololokwe, a popular tourist destination in Samburu County, according to Kenyan authorities.
Footage from the crash site showed smoke, flames and debris scattered across the rocky mountainside, while difficult terrain slowed search and recovery efforts.
Among those killed was Jose Suarez, a respected Telemundo executive based in South Florida, according to US media reports.
Another victim was Roger Duarte, a Miami businessman who had previously been featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. Duarte is survived by his wife and two children.
Duarte’s family described the tragedy as devastating, saying the victims were close and that the magnitude of the loss was difficult to comprehend.
Ecuadorian officials confirmed that the country’s intelligence chief, Michel Sensi Gontugi, and his wife, Stephanie Hollahan, were also killed in the crash.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said all seven people aboard the helicopter died. The aircraft was carrying six passengers and a pilot when it went down during a safari tour.
The crash occurred in a remote and rugged area near Mount Ololokwe, where helicopters have previously been used to transport tourists and land near the mountain’s summit.
Police and emergency teams responded to the scene as authorities began recovering the victims and investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The cause of the accident remains unknown. Kenya’s aviation authorities are expected to examine the aircraft, flight path and circumstances leading up to the crash as part of the investigation.
The deaths have drawn international attention because of the high-profile identities of some of the victims, particularly Suarez, Duarte and Ecuador’s intelligence chief.
The US State Department confirmed that five American citizens were among those killed and said the US Embassy in Nairobi was working with Kenyan authorities.
The crash comes amid renewed scrutiny of helicopter safety in Kenya, where helicopters are widely used for tourism, conservation and transport in remote areas.
