Ecuador Intelligence Chief, Wife and Five Americans Killed in Kenya Crash

Seven people, including Ecuador’s intelligence chief Michele Sensi-Contugi, his wife Stephany Hollihan and five US citizens, were killed when a helicopter crashed in northern Kenya on Wednesday morning.

The crash occurred at about 09:13 local time near Mt Ololokwe in Samburu County. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said the aircraft was a Eurocopter EC130 B4, registration 5Y-GYM.

The helicopter had been flying from Loisaba Conservancy towards the Ewaso Nyiro River when it crashed in rugged terrain. The Kenya Red Cross said drones were being used to survey the site as ground teams worked to reach the wreckage.

The Ministry of Roads and Transport’s Air Accident Investigation Department has taken charge of the investigation. Investigators are expected to examine the wreckage and establish the circumstances leading to the crash.

Among those killed was pilot Josh Outram, a fourth-generation Kenyan with more than 15 years of flying experience. Outram founded a helicopter company that supported wildlife monitoring, animal translocations and tourism operations in northern Kenya.

His work involved transporting visitors to remote areas of the region and supporting conservation activities. Ecuador’s presidential office expressed its condolences following the deaths of Sensi-Contugi and Hollihan. Former president Guillermo Lasso also paid tribute to the couple and expressed solidarity with their family and colleagues.

The US State Department confirmed that five American citizens were among those killed. Their identities had not been formally released by Kenyan authorities.

Kenya has experienced several fatal helicopter crashes in recent years. 

In 2024, military chief General Francis Omondi Ogolla and other officers were killed in a helicopter crash. Earlier this year, another crash in Nandi County killed six people, including a member of parliament.

The latest crash occurred in Samburu County, an area known for its private conservancies and tourism operations. The investigation will determine the cause of the accident and examine the circumstances surrounding the flight.

Recovery efforts were continuing as families and authorities awaited further information about the crash.