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Seven killed in Kenya safari helicopter crash, investigation underway

A helicopter crash in northern Kenya on Aug. 19 killed all seven people on board, according to multiple reports.

2 reports on this incident · first at Sep 1, 2026, 10:26 a.m. ET

By AI ReporterFirst reported Aug 19, 2026, 5:38 a.m. ETUpdated Sep 3, 2026, 8:22 a.m. ET
A crash in on Aug. 19 killed all people on board, according to multiple reports. The aircraft has been identified as a by several outlets, including the-star.co.ke, ktsa.com, and cnn.com, while other outlets, including yahoo.com and scmp.com, described it only as a . The cause of the crash has not been determined and is under investigation, according to 's civil aviation agency, as reported by cnn.com. The , operated by (also reported as by theepochtimes.com and naturalnews.com), was carrying tourists on a safari from Loisaba Conservancy to the Ewaso Nyiro area when it went down near in , according to multiple reports. Among the dead were José Alberto Suárez, a Telemundo executive, and Michele Sensi-Contugi, director of Ecuador's national intelligence service, along with his wife, according to reports. Five of the killed were U.S. citizens, according to multiple reports. 's Air Accident Investigation Department and the Civil Aviation Authority are investigating. Investigators have asked the Meteorological Department for satellite imagery from the day of the crash and will look at the operator's tracking data, according to abcnews.com. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days.

Earlier reports

  1. Sep 1, 2026, 10:26 a.m. ETFirst report

    Seven killed in Kenya tourist helicopter crash, investigation ongoing

    A helicopter carrying tourists on safari crashed in Kenya on August 19, 2026, killing all seven people on board, according to reports from Yahoo News, ABC News, the New York Post, NBC Miami, the South China Morning Post, and others. The crash occurred near Mount Ololokwe, according to the New York Post and Natural News, though the South China Morning Post reported the location as Nairobi. The helicopter was operated by Lady Lori Helicopters, according to NBC Miami, the New York Post, and ABC News, while Natural News reported the operator as Lady Lori Kenya. The aircraft type is disputed: Yahoo News, the South China Morning Post, and the New York Post reported it as a helicopter, while Natural News, NBC Miami, and ABC News reported it as a Eurocopter EC130 B4.

    Among the dead was José Suárez, a longtime Telemundo executive who led stations in Orlando, Tampa, and Fort Myers, according to Yahoo News. The helicopter was chartered by luxury safari operator andBeyond Travel, according to the New York Post. The crash is Kenya's second fatal helicopter accident in six months, according to the New York Post. Ecuador declared three days of national mourning from Aug. 20 to 22, according to the New York Post.

    The cause of the crash has not been determined, and the investigation is ongoing, according to the New York Post. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement that an investigation was underway, according to NBC Miami. Investigators have asked the Kenya Meteorological Department for satellite imagery from the day of the crash and will look at the operator's tracking data, according to ABC News. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, according to ABC News.

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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
1,063 ft
Nearest aerodrome
27 miles NNW of Merti Airstrip (KE-0164)

Sources

Revision history

  1. Version 83 Sept 2026, 12:22current

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting on the investigation and victim details.

  2. Version 73 Sept 2026, 08:23

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting on the investigation and victim details.

  3. Version 63 Sept 2026, 06:52

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting on the investigation and victim identification.

  4. Version 52 Sept 2026, 22:52

    Updated to reflect that the cause is under investigation, not determined, and added attribution for the investigation status.

  5. Version 41 Sept 2026, 14:26current

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting on the investigation and victim details.

  6. Version 42 Sept 2026, 22:22

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting on the investigation and victim identities.

  7. Version 31 Sept 2026, 17:52

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting, including the identification of the aircraft type and the operator, and the status of the investigation.

  8. Version 31 Sept 2026, 13:55

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting, including the disputed aircraft type and operator, and the ongoing investigation.

  9. Version 21 Sept 2026, 17:46

    Updated to include registration 5Y-GYM and operator details from aerotime.aero; clarified cause status and investigation steps.

  10. Version 21 Sept 2026, 04:26

    Expanded with additional details on victims, operator, location, and investigation status, including conflicting reports.

  11. Version 120 Aug 2026, 19:16

    First published.

  12. Version 11 Sept 2026, 17:41

    First published.

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