Ecuador’s intelligence chief and wife and five other people have been killed in a helicopter crash in Kenya.
According to BBC, a helicopter crashed in Samburu County in Kenya at around 09:13 (06:13 GMT) on Wednesday, August 19, claiming 7 lives.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said that the helicopter was on a sightseeing trip from Loisaba conservancy to the Ewaso Nyiro river, which runs alongside several national reserves.
The US State Department confirmed that five of the crash victims were Americans.
The victims of the crash include Ecuador's spy boss and his wife Stephany Hollihan, a US dual citizen, and key Telemundo executive José Alberto Suárez.
As per the families of the dead, the other dead included Roger Duarte, Adam Hlavaty, Henry Parra, and pilot Josh Outram.
Lady Lori Helicopters, which operated the Eurocopter EC130 B4 aircraft, said it was "deeply saddened" by the “tragic accident.”
A statement read, "Our deepest sympathies are with the guests, crew, their families and loved ones, and all those affected.”
NBCUniversal ‘heartbroken’ on José Alberto Suárez's tragic death
NBCUniversal News Chairman Cesar Conde, NBCU Local Chairman Valari Staab, and Telemundo station group president Jose Cancela announced their journalist and key executive passing in a memo to the employees.
The memo, obtained by Variety, read, “We are heartbroken to share the tragic news that José Suárez, the president and general manager of the Telemundo-owned stations in Orlando, Tampa, and Fort Myers, was killed in a helicopter accident in Kenya. José was a deeply respected leader and beloved friend and colleague across NBCU Local and NBCU News Group.”
“José was an exceptional colleague and mentor to many. He cared deeply about his teams, the communities they served, and the essential role our stations play in people’s lives. He brought energy, humor, warmth, and a strong sense of purpose to his work, and his impact was felt far beyond the stations he led,” it continued.
Suárez, a station leader, was director of creative services and programming for WTVJ in Miami.
The US state department said that the embassy is in touch with the local authorities and is providing assistance.
