7 killed in helicopter crash in Kenya, including an Ecuadorian official
- Seven people were killed when a safari helicopter crashed on Wednesday morning in northern Kenya, police said.
- Among the dead were Ecuador's national intelligence director, Michele Sensi-Contugi, and his wife, Stephany Hollihan, according to the Ecuadorian government.
- Kenia's civil aviation authority said the aircraft went down at 9:13 a.m. while flying from Loisaba Conservancy to the Ewaso Nyiro area in Samburu County.
- Authorities said there were six passengers and a pilot on board; later, U.S. officials confirmed that five of the occupants were American.
Police in Kenya said seven people died after a safari helicopter crashed on Wednesday morning in a remote area of northern Kenya. The aircraft went down in Samburu County while traveling from the Loisaba conservancy toward the Ewaso Nyiro area.
The Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority said the helicopter crashed at 9:13 a.m. Local police later said all seven people aboard were dead. Officials did not immediately identify them.
The Ecuadorian government said the dead included Michele Sensi-Contugi, the country's national intelligence director, and his wife, Stephany Hollihan. NBCUniversal also said José Suárez, who led the company's Telemundo stations in Orlando, Tampa and Fort Myers, died in the crash.
The helicopter was operated by a local company and was carrying guests of a travel company, according to statements cited by AP. Rescue teams from multiple agencies responded to the crash site, and local officials said helicopter accidents have become more common in Kenya.
肯尼亚直升机坠毁致7人死亡，其中包括一名厄瓜多尔官员
肯尼亚警方称，一架观光直升机周三上午在肯尼亚北部偏远地区坠毁，造成7人死亡。民航部门表示，飞机当时正从洛伊萨巴保护区飞往桑布鲁郡的埃瓦索尼罗地区。
肯尼亚民航局说，直升机在上午9时13分坠落。当地警方随后表示，机上7人全部遇难，但起初未公布身份。
厄瓜多尔政府表示，死者包括该国国家情报局局长米歇尔·森西-孔图吉及其妻子斯特凡妮·霍利汉。NBCUniversal还称，担任该公司奥兰多、坦帕和迈尔斯堡 Telemundo 电视台负责人何塞·苏亚雷斯也在事故中身亡。
报道说，这架直升机由一家本地公司运营，事发时搭载的是一家旅行公司的客人。多支机构参与了救援，地方官员还表示，肯尼亚的直升机事故近年来变得更常见。