A helicopter carrying guests of a luxury safari company crashed in a remote stretch of northern Kenya on Wednesday, killing all seven people on board, including a senior Telemundo executive, a Miami entrepreneur, and Ecuador's intelligence chief.
José Alberto Suárez, 55, the president and general manager of Telemundo-owned stations in Orlando, Tampa, and Fort Myers, died when the aircraft went down near the foothills of Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County at approximately 9:13 a.m. local time. The helicopter, operated by Lady Lori Helicopters, was ferrying guests of the luxury travel company &Beyond toward the Ewaso Nyiro river, which flows through the Samburu National Reserve, the New York Post reported.
Five of the seven dead were American citizens, a fact the U.S. State Department confirmed, AP News reported. The crash also killed Michele Sensi-Contugi, the director general of Ecuador's intelligence agency, and his wife, Stephany Hollihan Vasconez, described as a U.S. dual citizen. Roger Edward Duarte, 39, a Miami food entrepreneur and father of two, was also aboard, along with passengers Adam Hlavaty and Henry Parra. Pilot Josh Outram rounded out the manifest.
No cause has been established. Kenyan authorities have opened an investigation, and no preliminary findings have been disclosed.
The Kenyan Red Cross dispatched teams to the crash site but encountered severe obstacles. Rescuers reported "difficult terrain access and an active fire at the crash site" that slowed their response. The area around Mount Ololokwe is rugged and sparsely populated, the kind of landscape that draws wealthy tourists precisely because it sits far from infrastructure.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority identified the crash time and location through a spokesperson, who said the helicopter had been heading toward the Ewaso Nyiro river when it went down. Lady Lori Helicopters, the operator, expressed its "deepest sympathies" with the "guests, crew, their families and loved ones, and all those affected by this tragic accident."
The helicopter had departed from Loisaba Conservancy, the Washington Examiner reported, bound for the Ewaso Nyiro area in Samburu County. &Beyond confirmed the passengers were its guests, though the full itinerary and purpose of the trip have not been made public.
NBCUniversal moved quickly to inform employees. An internal memo signed by NBCUniversal News Chairman Cesar Conde, NBCU Local Chairman Valari Staab, and Telemundo station group president Jose Cancela was obtained by Variety. The memo did not mince words about the loss:
"We are heartbroken to share the tragic news that José Suárez, the president and general manager of the Telemundo-owned stations in Orlando, Tampa and Fort Myers, was killed in a helicopter accident in Kenya. José was a deeply respected leader and beloved friend and colleague across NBCU Local and NBCU News Group."
The memo continued, describing Suárez as someone who "cared deeply about his teams, the communities they served and the essential role our stations play in people's lives." His colleagues praised his energy, humor, and sense of purpose. "His impact was felt far beyond the stations he led," the executives wrote.
Suárez was a Florida native. Before running three Telemundo station markets, he served as director of creative services and programming at WTVJ in Miami. Over his career he earned a Lone Star Emmy, a Suncoast Emmy, three Cleveland-chapter Emmys for daily newscasts, and multiple Associated Press awards.
Sensi-Contugi's death drew a formal response from Quito. Ecuador's presidency posted a statement on X extending "heartfelt condolences to his family, loved ones and close associates" and calling it a "moment of deep sorrow" for the government. CNN first identified Sensi-Contugi and his wife among the victims.
Duarte, the 39-year-old Miami entrepreneur, founded the George Stone Crab seafood company and the My Ceviche restaurant chain. He left behind two children. The backgrounds of Hlavaty and Parra have not been publicly detailed.
The Duarte and Valls families released a joint statement that captured the scale of the loss:
"The Duarte and Valls families are devastated and heartbroken by the tragic helicopter accident in Kenya that claimed the lives of our beloved Roger Edward Duarte, our dear friends Jose Suarez, Adam Hlavaty, Henry Parra, Michele Sensi-Contugi, and Stephany Hollihan Yeaza, as well as Josh Outram, the helicopter's pilot."
"The magnitude of this tragedy is impossible to comprehend, and there are no words to express the depth of our pain," the families added.
Kenyan aviation authorities have not released any preliminary theory about what brought the helicopter down. No mechanical history for the aircraft has been disclosed. The registration and model of the helicopter operated by Lady Lori Helicopters remain unreported.
Several basic facts are still unresolved. It is unclear whether all seven passengers were traveling together as a single &Beyond tour group or had been assembled from separate bookings. The nationality of pilot Josh Outram has not been stated. And a minor discrepancy, the family statement refers to Sensi-Contugi's wife as "Stephany Hollihan Yeaza," while other reporting uses "Stephany Hollihan Vasconez", has not been reconciled.
What is clear is that seven people, professionals, parents, public servants, boarded a sightseeing helicopter on a Wednesday morning in one of the most scenic corners of East Africa and never came home. The investigation will determine whether this was a freak accident or something preventable. Until then, families on two continents are left with grief and no answers.
When Americans die abroad, their countrymen deserve a full accounting, not just condolences. Kenyan authorities owe these families, and the public, a transparent and thorough investigation.
