Helicopter in Kenya Crash That Killed 7 Identified as Eurocopter EC130 B4
The aircraft involved in the August 19 crash near Mount Ololokwe has been identified as a Eurocopter EC130 B4, according to reports.
2 reports on this incident · first at Sep 4, 2026, 8:58 a.m. ET
This is a developing story. Details reported early are provisional and are frequently revised. Where sources disagree, both readings are given.
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Earlier reports
Sep 4, 2026, 8:58 a.m. ETFirst report
Helicopter Crash in Kenya Kills 7, Including Ecuadorian Intelligence Chief
A Eurocopter EC130 B4 helicopter crashed near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County, Kenya, on August 19, 2025, at approximately 09:13 local time, according to Rio Times Online. All seven people on board were killed, the outlet reported. The flight was a tourist charter operated by Lady Lori Helicopters, not an official mission.
Among the dead were Ecuadorian intelligence chief Michele Sensi-Contugi and his wife, as well as five American citizens, Rio Times Online reported. The wreckage burned, slowing recovery efforts.
The cause of the crash has not been established. Investigators have not publicly blamed weather, mechanical failure, or pilot error, and no preliminary report has been released, according to Rio Times Online.
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Reference data
From aircraft and geographic registries, not from the news sources. Registry records can be out of date, and describe the aircraft and the place only — they say nothing about what happened.
- Terrain elevation
- 5,423 ft
- Nearest aerodrome
- 6.6 miles SW of Isiolo Airport (HKIS)
Sources
- Ecuador Intelligence Chief Dies in Kenya Helicopter Crashriotimesonline.com
Revision history
- Version 14 Sept 2026, 13:22current
First published.
- Version 14 Sept 2026, 12:58current
First published.
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