Noboa cancels Vietnam trip to attend funeral of intelligence chief killed in Kenya crash

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has cut short his Asian tour, canceling a planned visit to Vietnam to return home for the funeral of his intelligence director, Michele Sensi-Contugi, and his wife, Stephany Hollihan. The couple tragically died in a helicopter accident in Kenya earlier this week.

Noboa was in China, the first leg of his tour, where he met with President Xi Jinping and other officials to strengthen cooperation in energy, mining, and trade. It was during this visit that he learned of the deaths of Sensi-Contugi, described as a close friend and trusted official, and his wife. The president had declared three days of national mourning.

The presidential tour was scheduled to conclude next Friday with stops in Singapore and Vietnam. However, according to Communications Secretary Irene Vélez, the Vietnam leg has been canceled due to time constraints, as Noboa needs to be in Ecuador for the state funeral. The visit to Singapore will proceed, as canceling it would constitute a diplomatic snub.

Details regarding the repatriation of the couple's remains and the exact date of the funeral have not yet been released by the Presidency. The helicopter crash in Kenya resulted in seven fatalities, including the pilot. Ecuador's Foreign Ministry is coordinating the repatriation of the bodies with the assistance of its embassy in South Africa and friendly diplomatic missions, as Ecuador lacks a diplomatic presence in Kenya.

“

Vietnam has been canceled. It is the only country we will not visit because there is no longer enough time to be in Ecuador for the honors that will be given to Michele Sensi, with whom we will bid farewell.