Five Americans Killed in Charter Helicopter Crash in Northern Kenya
Telemundo Executive Among Five U.S. Citizens Dead Near Mount Otolokwe
Five Americans died following a helicopter crash in northern Kenya during a private charter flight between wildlife conservancies, according to the U.S. State Department and local aviation officials. Telemundo executive José Suárez, who served as president and general manager overseeing NBCUniversal’s Telemundo station operations in Florida, was among those killed in the crash. NBCUniversal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde confirmed Suárez’s death in a statement to company staff.
Seven people were on board when the incident occurred around 9 a.m. local time in a mountainous region near Kirish in Samburu County, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said.
According to the operator, the aircraft was on a charter flight from Suyian Conservancy, a 44,000-acre private wildlife refuge in the Laikipia region, heading toward Otolokwe when it went down near Mount Otolokwe.
Officials said the aircraft was a Eurocopter EC130 B4, with Lady Lori saying it was registered as 5Y-GYM.
The Eurocopter EC130 B4 is a single-engine light utility aircraft equipped with a Turbomeca Arriel 2B1 engine, commonly configured for passenger charter and wildlife tourism flights. Aircraft operator Lady Lori Helicopters, based out of Wilson Airport in Nairobi, specializes in private luxury charters across East Africa’s Rift Valley and northern conservancies.
Lady Lori Helicopters stated it was “deeply saddened” by the incident and expressed its condolences to the victims’ families. In a message posted on social media, the charter operator added, “Our deepest sympathies are with the guests, crew, their families and loved ones, and all those affected by this tragic accident.”
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by local air safety investigators and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority. Teams were dispatched to inspect the wreckage site near Kirish in Samburu County to determine environmental and mechanical factors at the time of the flight.
The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi is maintaining direct contact with local Kenyan authorities and providing consular assistance to the victims’ families. The State Department noted that “The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans,” extending its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones following the loss.
