Four American citizens were among seven people killed when a charter helicopter went down in a remote part of northern Kenya on Tuesday morning. The crash occurred at 9:13 a.m. while the aircraft was traveling from the Loisaba Conservancy to the Ewaso Nyiro area in Samburu County, according to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.
Victims include Telemundo executive
Among the deceased was José Alberto Suárez, the president and general manager of Telemundo Orlando, Telemundo Tampa, and Telemundo Fort Myers‑Naples. NBCU News Group released a statement describing Suárez as an “exceptional colleague” who cared deeply about his teams, the communities they served, and the role of the stations in people’s lives. The statement expressed condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.
U.S. government response
The U.S. State Department confirmed it is in contact with Kenyan authorities and that the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi is providing consular assistance to the families of the American victims. A spokesperson said the department would not comment further, citing privacy concerns.
Details of the flight
The helicopter, a Eurocopter EC130 B4, was owned by a local company called Lady Lori Helicopters and was operating a charter flight for travel company &Beyond. The aircraft was carrying guests on a sightseeing tour of the foothills of Mount Ololokwe, a popular tourist destination in the region.
Search and rescue efforts
Rescue operations have been hampered by the rugged terrain and an active fire at the crash site. The Kenya Red Cross reported that its emergency response teams are part of a multi‑agency effort to reach the wreckage. An additional response team was dispatched from Isiolo, and Tropic Air Kenya sent two of its own helicopters to assist with search and rescue.
Background on helicopter safety in Kenya
Helicopter accidents have become more frequent in Kenya, a country whose tourism industry relies heavily on air transport to reach remote wildlife areas and mountain destinations. In February of this year, a Kenyan legislator was among six people killed in a separate helicopter crash in western Kenya.
Authorities have not yet released a cause for the crash and an investigation is ongoing. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said it will work with local law‑enforcement agencies to determine the factors that led to the accident.
Families of the victims, including the relatives of Mr. Suárez, have been notified and are receiving support from both U.S. consular officials and the companies involved in the charter flight.
Original reporting: NBC10 Boston — read the source article.
