Michele Sensi-Contugi, head of Ecuador’s national intelligence agency, and his wife died Wednesday when their tourist helicopter crashed in Kenya’s Samburu County. The tragedy, which also claimed the lives of five U.S. citizens including a Florida media executive, prompted a three-day national mourning period declared by President Daniel Noboa.
Helicopter Crash in Samburu County Claims Seven Lives
The aircraft, a Eurocopter EC130 B4 operated on a tourist excursion, went down at 09:13 local time (06:13 GMT) near Mount Ololokwe, according to the Autoridad de Aviación Civil de Kenia (KCAA). The helicopter was carrying six passengers and a pilot, flying from Loisaba to Ewasonyiro toward the Loisaba Conservancy, a conservation area in the north of the country used as a tourist destination for safaris. In a video published on X, black smoke could be seen rising from the base of the imposing mountain.
Emergency response efforts faced immediate physical barriers. The rescue and recovery operations were heavily obstructed by difficult terrain and a fire declared at the scene of the incident. Kenyan Red Cross teams utilized drones to inspect the area due to the remote characteristics and difficult access of the zone where the accident occurred.
Local authorities opened an investigation to clarify the causes of the accident, while the Air Accident Investigation Department of Kenya’s Ministry of Roads and Transport looked into the technical aspects. An aeronautical source confirmed the grim toll to the AFP agency by stating that he could confirm there were no survivors.
Victims Include Intelligence Chief, Spouse, and U.S. Citizens
The crash victims included Michele Sensi-Contugi, the 44-year-old director general of Ecuador’s Centro Nacional de Inteligencia (CNI), and his wife, Stephany Hollihan. Sensi-Contugi was the son of an Italian father and an Ecuadorian mother, and before entering the public sector he was known as a millionaire clothing entrepreneur. He was appointed head of Intelligence in January 2024 and concurrently served for a few months as minister of Government between April and August 2024. Sensi-Contugi was very close to President Daniel Noboa, commanding an agency producing strategic information for the State in a country mired in a severe security crisis marked by the expansion of organized crime and violence.
Hollihan, aged 42, held U.S. citizenship and was a personal friend of First Lady Lavinia Valbonesi, who modeled the garments designed by Hollihan. Alongside the couple, the U.S. Department of State confirmed via an email received by AFP that five of its citizens died in the tragedy. The U.S. Embassy in Kenya remained in contact with Kenyan authorities to offer consular assistance to the families and close associates of those who perished when the helicopter carrying them on an excursion crashed.
Among the victims was also José Alberto Suárez, 55, president and general manager of three local Telemundo chains in Florida. The network confirmed his death through a statement signed by its top executives, describing him as an exceptional colleague
concerned with his work teams and the communities served by their media outlets. Another victim identified in reporting was Roger Duarte, a Miami businessman of 42 years.
Government figures across Ecuador offered immediate statements of grief. Vice President María José Pinto stated on X (Twitter) that it was a very sad and painful day, adding that there are moments when words fall short to understand or explain such an unexpected loss. The Presidency of Ecuador confirmed the death after several hours of uncertainty during which various state institutions published messages of condolence before the Executive officially communicated the passing, eventually expressing its profundo pesar.
National Assembly President Mishel Mancheno remembered Sensi-Contugi as a public servant committed to the country and highlighted the sensitivity and talent of Hollihan.
State Mourning and Leadership Continuity in Quito
From China, where the president was on an official visit, President Daniel Noboa signed an executive decree establishing three days of national mourning across Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The measure established that national flags must remain at half-mast in all public buildings and ordered the organization of a state funeral for the official. Noboa ordered the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Interior to coordinate with Sensi-Contugi’s relatives to organize the official obsequies.
In the decree establishing the national mourning, Noboa highlighted Sensi-Contugi’s trajectory within the public administration, noting that the official served the State with commitment, dedication, and a profound sense of responsibility and contributed from each function entrusted to him.
The CNI operates as the state agency tasked with producing strategic information, having previously been named the Centro de Inteligencia Estratégica. Investigations into the causes of the crash remained ongoing under Kenyan authorities, while international diplomatic channels managed consular coordination and the return of the victims.
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