Helicopter crash in Kenya: Ecuador's intelligence chief among the victims

Ecuador's intelligence chief, Michele Sensi-Contugi, along with five American nationals, died Wednesday in a helicopter crash in Kenya, US and Ecuadorian authorities said.

In total, seven people died when the helicopter carrying them on an excursion crashed in central Kenya, the country's Air Accidents Investigation Authority (AAID) told AFP earlier in the day.

Five American citizens are among the victims, according to a spokesman for the U.S. State Department.

The pilot, killed in the crash, was a Kenyan national, according to the American network ABC News, citing a local police commander.

Ecuador's intelligence chief, 44, was a close associate of right-wing President Daniel Noboa, who leads a country mired in a serious security crisis.

Appointed Director of Intelligence in 2024, Mr. Sensi-Contugi simultaneously held the position of Minister of the Interior for a few months. Before entering public service, he was a millionaire businessman in the fashion industry.

He was also Mr. Noboa's representative in public companies, including the national oil company Petroecuador.

- "No survivors" -

His wife, Stephany Hollihan, was also killed in the crash. Aged 42, she was a friend of First Lady Lavinia Valbonesi and a fashion designer.

"Today, Michele and Stephany left us far too soon. My thoughts are with their family, especially their children and parents," lamented Ecuadorian Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Roberto Luque, on X.

The Ecuadorian National Assembly announced on X that the flag of the Legislative Palace, in the capital Quito, would be flown at half-mast for three days.

The helicopter, an EC-130-B4, manufactured by the European group Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters), crashed at 09:13 (06:13 GMT) near Mount Ololokwe, about 250 km as the crow flies north of Nairobi, according to the Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).

"The helicopter was carrying tourists for a scenic observation flight," Fredrick Kabunge, director of the AAID, told AFP, "there were seven people on board the helicopter, a pilot and six passengers" and "there are no survivors."

Rescue teams "discovered the aircraft destroyed by the impact and the ensuing fire," he added.

AAID investigators had been dispatched to the scene of the accident to investigate its causes, Mr. Kabunge said.

The U.S. Embassy in Kenya indicated that it is in contact with local authorities and is offering consular assistance.

Mount Ololokwe, a sacred mountain of the Samburu people whose summit rises to 2,000 meters, is a popular hiking area. Specialized companies also offer helicopter tours.

On March 1, six people, including a member of parliament, died in a helicopter crash in western Kenya.