---
title: "Kenya tourist helicopter crash kills 7, including Americans and Ecuador security chief"
description: "NAIROBI, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Seven people, including five Americans and Ecuador's intelligence head, were killed on Wednesday when the tourist helicopter they were flying in crashed in Kenya's Samburu county."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "World"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-08-20-kenya-tourist-helicopter-crash-kills-7-including-americans-and-ecuador-security-chief/"
published: "2026-08-20T04:55:34"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 201
---

# Kenya tourist helicopter crash kills 7, including Americans and Ecuador security chief

> NAIROBI, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Seven people, including five Americans and Ecuador's intelligence head, were killed on Wednesday when the tourist helicopter they were flying in crashed in Kenya's Samburu county.

By Reuters · Published 20 August 2026, 06:55 SAST

## Content

The aircraft was flying to the Loisaba Conservancy, a wildlife reserve and safari destination in northern Kenya, when it crashed, according to a preliminary report from Archers Post police station seen by Reuters.

All seven people - six passengers and one pilot - were killed, authorities said.

A State Department spokesperson said five Americans were among the dead, while Ecuador's presidential office confirmed intelligence head Michele Sensi-Contugi and his wife Stephany Hollihan - who held U.S. citizenship - were also killed.

"The U.S. Embassy is in touch with local authorities and is providing consular assistance," the State Department said.

The preliminary police report listed Sensi-Contugi and his wife as tourists.

Luxury tour agency &Beyond, which offered the excursion the tourists were on, said in a statement that the cause of the crash was yet to be determined.

The Kenya Red Cross said that search and recovery efforts were being hampered by difficult terrain and a fire at the crash site.

(Reporting by Humphrey Malalo, Vincent Mumo Nzilani and Ammu Kannampilly in Nairobi, Elias Biryabarema in Kampala and Nilutpal Timsina in Johannesburg; Additional reporting by Alexandra Valencia in Quito; Writing by Kylie Madry; Editing by Alexander Winning, Alex Richardson and Alistair Bell)