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Seven dead in Kenya helicopter crash, including tourists and pilot

From El Comercio · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • Seven people, including six tourists and a pilot, died when a helicopter crashed in northern Kenya near Mount Ololokwe.
  • The Eurocopter EC130 B4 was en route to Loisaba Reserve when it crashed around 9:13 a.m. local time.
  • Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, with rescue teams working to recover bodies in a remote, difficult-to-access area.

A helicopter crash in northern Kenya claimed the lives of seven people, including six tourists and the pilot, on Wednesday, August 19. The Eurocopter EC130 B4 went down in a remote area near Kirish, close to Mount Ololokwe, approximately 350 kilometers north of Nairobi.

The aircraft was reportedly traveling from Loisaba to Ewasonyiro when it crashed around 9:13 a.m. local time. Witnesses described seeing a dense column of black smoke and intense flames rising from the crash site shortly after the helicopter fell. The remains of the aircraft were completely burned.

A dense column of black smoke and intense flames.

— WitnessesDescribing the scene immediately after the helicopter crash.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority is coordinating the response with other agencies, while the Air Accident Investigation Department of the Ministry of Roads and Transport leads the probe into the cause of the crash. As of now, the exact cause remains undetermined. The nationalities of the six passengers have not been officially released, though the U.S. Department of State informed NBC News that four of the victims were American.

The KCAA coordinates the response to the accident along with other agencies and interested parties. For its part, the Air Accident Investigation Department of the Ministry of Roads and Transport of Kenya leads the investigations to establish the circumstances of the accident.

— El ComercioDetailing the official response and investigation into the crash.

Authorities have identified the seven individuals on board: pilot Josh Outram, and passengers Roger Duarte, Adam Navaty, Stephany Hollihan, Henry Parra, Michelle Sensi-Contugi, and Suian Suarez. Notably, Michelle Sensi-Contugi, who led the National Intelligence Center since January 2024, and her wife, fashion designer Stephany Hollihan, were among the deceased.

Rescue efforts have been complicated by the crash site's remote location and difficult terrain. An active fire at the scene further hindered recovery operations. Kenyan Red Cross teams utilized drones for aerial surveys, and an additional team was dispatched from Isiolo to bolster the operation. So far, four bodies have been recovered.

Four of the victims were American.

— U.S. Department of StateInforming NBC News about the nationality of some passengers.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Comercio in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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