Ecuador has declared three days of national mourning following the death of Michele Sensi-Contugi, the country’s intelligence chief, and his wife Stephany Hollihan Vásconez in a helicopter crash in Kenya. President Daniel Noboa ordered the mourning period to run from August 20 to August 22, 2026, after the couple were among seven people killed when a helicopter crashed in Samburu County, northern Kenya, on Wednesday, August 19. The mourning declaration places Ecuador’s national flag at half-mast on public buildings during the three-day period as the country honours Sensi-Contugi, who headed Ecuador’s Strategic Intelligence Center.
Sensi-Contugi was travelling in Kenya with his wife when the helicopter went down near Mount Ololokwe, a prominent landmark in Samburu. All seven people aboard, six passengers and the Kenyan pilot, died in the crash. The helicopter was reportedly operating a chartered tourist flight from Loisaba Conservancy towards the Ewaso Nyiro area when it crashed at about 9:13am local time on Wednesday. The other victims included five American citizens. Among them was José Alberto Suárez, a former senior Telemundo executive.
The helicopter was carrying guests associated with safari operator &Beyond, according to reports. The aircraft was operated by Lady Lori Helicopters. Kenyan authorities have begun investigations into the accident. The cause of the crash had not been established at the time of reporting, and officials have not attributed it to any specific mechanical, weather or operational problem. Rescue and recovery efforts were complicated by the rugged terrain around the crash site and a fire that broke out in the area.
The Ecuadorian government confirmed Sensi-Contugi’s death and expressed condolences to his family and those close to him. Sensi-Contugi had served as head of Ecuador’s intelligence institution since 2024 and was regarded as a close associate of President Noboa. Before taking charge of the intelligence agency, he served briefly as Ecuador’s Minister of Government. His death leaves a senior position within Ecuador’s security and intelligence establishment vacant at a time when the country continues to deal with serious security challenges. Reports from Ecuador indicate that Noboa moved to ensure continuity within the intelligence agency following the death, with Luis Carlos Ávila Chávez designated to serve as acting director.
Sensi-Contugi’s wife, Stephany Hollihan Vásconez, was also killed in the crash. Hollihan was known in Ecuador as a fashion designer and entrepreneur. She and Sensi-Contugi were among the passengers on the helicopter when it crashed near Mount Ololokwe. Their deaths have therefore prompted both an official state response in Ecuador and an ongoing investigation in Kenya into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
The Kenyan aviation authorities are investigating the crash, while authorities and diplomatic representatives from the countries of the victims are involved in arrangements concerning the victims and their families. For Ecuador, the three-day mourning period will provide an official period to honour Sensi-Contugi and his contribution to the country’s intelligence system. For Kenya, the incident has triggered an aviation investigation into a crash involving foreign visitors on a tourist flight in one of the country’s major safari regions.
As investigations continue, the cause of the crash remains unknown. Authorities are expected to establish what happened before the helicopter went down and whether any technical, environmental or operational factors contributed to the accident.