From the Mt Ololokwe summit, the vast Samburu landscape stretches into the horizon, its rugged plains and distant hills offering the kind of scenery that draws tourists for sunrise and sunset splendour.
On Wednesday morning, six tourists climbed into a helicopter to experience that view. They were filming and taking photographs when their holiday turned into a tragedy.
The helicopter had barely completed its third sweep over the summit when the tourists began capturing what would become their final images of the spectacular mountain . Moments later, the helicopter crashed down the rocky face, killing all seven people on board, including the pilot.
The six tourists had been flown from Suiyan in Loisaba Conservancy, Laikipia County.
Local tour guides and porters who witnessed the final moments of the ill-fated flight told the Nation that the helicopter had circled the rocky summit several times before landing at a spot popular with tourists.
Mr Raphael Lekambayo, a tour guide based in Kirish village, said colleagues who were at the summit told him the visitors were recording the scenery when the helicopter go out of control.
“At the time, the aircraft was hovering near the edge of the cliff. On noticing that all was not well, some of the passengers threw out their phones, which were recovered by the guides,” Mr Lekambayo said.
The site where a helicopter ferrying tourists crashed at Mt Ololokwe in Samburu East on August 19, 2026. Seven people died.
Photo credit: David Muchui | Nation
“The chopper’s rear propellers appear to have hit the edge of the cliff, leading to the fatal fall,” he added.
For those on the ground, there was little time to comprehend what was happening. Mr Peterson Leadekei, one of the first responders, said he and others watched the helicopter circling the mountain before seeing it come down.
“We were not very far from the scene because we saw the helicopter circling and landing successfully. Shortly after, we saw it crashing,” he recounted.
By the time rescuers reached the scene at about 10am, the wreckage was in flames.
The helicopter had plunged vertically down a cliff estimated to be about 300 metres high, coming to rest among trees and rocks at the foot of the mountain, about 10 kilometres from the Isiolo-Moyale highway.
The tragedy has cast a shadow over a mountain better known for its beauty and the unforgettable experiences it offers visitors.
Earlier, local tour operator Mr Diba Ngera had warned that the summit experiences strong winds, prompting residents to erect signs cautioning pilots about the risks.
“Although there has never been an accident on the hill, we recognised the danger and put up warning signs. The community has also prepared an airstrip, but tourists prefer to land at the peak,” he said.
A Nation team that visited the scene found that the aircraft had been torn apart. The recovery teams faced the grim task of cutting through the burnt wreckage to retrieve the victims.
Rescue officials work at the site of a tourist helicopter crash that caused multiple casualties, according to the police, in Samburu County, Kenya, August 19, 2026.
Photo credit: Reuters
Some of the victims were burnt beyond recognition and were taken to Nairobi for DNA analysis, while the other bodies were transferred to Lee Funeral Home.
“We have concluded the operation and handed over the site to the aircraft accident investigation teams. They will try to establish the cause of the accident,” Samburu County Police Commander David Nkoroi said.
The crash claimed the lives of Kenyan pilot Josh Outram, five Americans and an Ecuadorian.
Mr Outram, the director of African Heli Adventures, was an experienced pilot who had spent years operating in the rugged northern Kenya, including as a tour operator and in security surveillance within wildlife conservancies.
In an earlier interview with Loisaba’s Elewana Collection, he spoke passionately about the landscapes he had spent years flying over.
“I am hugely passionate about flying and what Kenya has to offer. The North has some of the most diverse landscapes over a very short distance. What I get to see every day is something that I feel everyone coming through Kenya should to see. Truly, it is some of the most mind-blowing landscapes that most people in Kenya don’t realise exist. A helicopter opens up the opportunity to see this,” he said in the interview.
No survivors: All seven occupants in Samburu aircraft crash have died
Ecuador’s intelligence chief, Michele Sensi-Contugi and his wife, Stephany Hollihan Yeaza, who held Ecuadorian and American citizenship, were among the dead.
Their deaths were officially confirmed in a statement posted on the Ecuadorian president’s official X account.
“At this moment of profound grief, the National Government extends its deepest condolences to their families, loved ones and close associates, whom it accompanies with respect, solidarity and affection,” the statement posted on X read.
According to Ecuadorian media, Sensi-Contugi served as Minister of the Interior from April to August 2024, before taking over as director of the National Intelligence Centre. He is said to have been a close confidant of Ecuador President Daniel Noboa.
The other victims were Roger Edward Duarte, José Alberto Suárez, Adam Hlavaty and Henry Parra.
American media outlet NBC 6 said the death of Suárez, 55, was communicated through a joint statement by NBCU Newsgroup Chairman Cesar Conde, NBCU Local Chairman Valari Staab and Telemundo Station Group President Jose Cancela.
Rescue officials work at the site of a tourist helicopter crash that caused multiple casualties, according to the police, in Samburu County, Kenya, August 19, 2026.
Photo credit: Reuters
“We are heartbroken to learn the tragic news that José was killed in a helicopter accident in Kenya. José was an exceptional colleague who cared deeply about his teams, the communities they served and the important role our stations play in people’s lives,” they stated.
“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. Our hearts are with his loved ones, and with all of José’s colleagues and friends who are grieving this terrible loss.”
The US media outlet further reported that the death of Duarte, 39, was confirmed by his family in a statement.
“The Duarte and Valls families are devastated and heartbroken by the tragic helicopter accident in Kenya that claimed the lives of our beloved Roger Edward Duarte, our dear friends Jose Suarez, Adam Hlavaty, Henry Parra, Michele Sensi-Contugi, and Stephany Holliham Yeaza, as well as Josh Outram, the helicopter’s pilot,” read the statement.
“The magnitude of this tragedy is impossible to comprehend, and there are no words to express the depth of our pain. We ask that you keep them all and everyone who loved them in your prayers. We respectfully request privacy as our families grieve this unimaginable loss,” it added.
The aircraft in the tragedy belonged to Lady Lori, a chartered helicopter operator. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority identified the aircraft as a Eurocopter EC130 B4, registration 5Y-GYM.
Tour guides operating within the Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy say tourists often visit the summit of Mt Ololokwe to catch breathtaking views of the sunrise and the sunset.
The Samburu landscape is a popular destination for high-net-worth individuals who frequent its remote and luxurious lodges.
