Shil diyaarad qumaatiga ah oo Kenya ku dhintay 7 qof, oo ku jira madaxa sirdoonka Ecuador
Diyaarad qumaatiga ah oo dalxiisayaal qaadaysay ayaa ku burburtay buuraha hoostooda ee Mount Ololokwe ee gobolka Samburu, Kenya, Arbacadii, waxaana ku dhintay dhammaan 7 qof, oo ay ku jiraan shan muwaadiniin Maraykan ah iyo Michele Sensi-Contugi, madaxa sirdoonka Ecuador.
Macluumaadka shilka iyo qofka dhintay
Hay'adda Duulista Rayidka Kenya ayaa sheegtay in diyaaradda nooca Eurocopter EC130 B4 ay shil gashay 9:13 subaxnimo waqtiga maxalliga ah (06:13 GMT), wax yar kaddib markii ay ka duushay kaydka duurjoogta ee Loisaba, iyadoo ku sii jeedday deegaanka Ewaso Nyiro ee gobolka Samburu, waqooyiga caasimadda Nairobi.
Dhammaan 7 qof ee saarnaa diyaaradda — lix rakaab ah iyo duuliye — ayaa dhintay, waxaana ka mid ahaa Michele Sensi-Contugi, oo ahaa madaxa Xarunta Sirdoonka Istaraatiijiga ah ee Ecuador, iyo xaaskiisa oo iyaduna haysatay dhalashada Maraykanka.
Xaqiijinta Maraykanka iyo baaritaanka Kenya
Wasaaradda Arrimaha Dibadda ee Maraykanka ayaa xaqiijisay in shan ka mid ah lixdii rakaab ee dhintay ay ahaayeen muwaadiniin Maraykan ah, iyadoo Safaaradda Maraykanka ay sheegtay inay xiriir la leedahay mas'uuliyiinta Kenya isla markaana ay bixinayso taageero dhinaca adeegyada qunsuliyadda ah.
Hay'adda Duulista Rayidka Kenya ayaa sheegtay in baaritaan lagu wado si loo ogaado sababta keentay shilka, iyadoo la eegayo arrimo la xiriira diyaaradda, cimilada ama xaaladaha duulimaadka.
Shilalka diyaaradaha qumaatiga ee Kenya oo kordhaya
Shilalka diyaaradaha qumaatiga ayaa Kenya ku soo badanayay iyadoo dalxiiska dalka uu sii kobcayo, gaar ahaan safarada loo tago goobaha fogfog sida Mount Ololokwe.
Bishii Febraayo, diyaarad kale oo noocan ah ayaa ku burburtay dhul duur ah, waxaana ku dhintay dhammaan lixdii qof ee saarnaa, oo uu ku jiray xildhibaan, taasoo muujinaysa in shilalka diyaaradaha qumaatiga ee Kenya ay sii kordhayaan.
A Eurocopter EC130 B4 carrying six passengers and a pilot crashed at Mount Ololokwe in Kenya's Samburu County on Wednesday, killing all seven occupants. Among the dead were five American citizens, Ecuador's head of strategic intelligence Michele Sensi-Contugi, his American wife, and a senior Telemundo manager. The aircraft departed Loisaba airstrip at 9:13 AM local time (06:13 GMT) en route to Ewaso Nyiro.
The Crash and Its Victims
Kenya's Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that the helicopter, a Eurocopter EC130 B4, crashed at Mount Ololokwe shortly after departing Loisaba airstrip at 9:13 AM local time (06:13 GMT) on Wednesday, heading toward Ewaso Nyiro in Samburu County. All seven people aboard — six passengers and the pilot — perished in the accident, with social media footage showing the wreckage smoking and burning on rocky terrain.
The passengers included five American citizens and one Ecuadorian national. Michele Sensi-Contugi, head of Ecuador's Strategic Intelligence Center and a close ally of President Daniel Noboa, was among the dead, along with his American wife. A senior manager from Telemundo, a Spanish-language television network owned by Comcast/NBCUniversal, also lost his life in the crash.
Diplomatic Response and Ongoing Investigation
The U.S. State Department confirmed the deaths of five American citizens and said it is providing consular assistance. The American Embassy in Nairobi has established contact with Kenyan authorities to coordinate support for the families of the deceased.
Kenya's Civil Aviation Authority launched an investigation into the crash to determine the cause, examining factors such as aircraft condition, weather, and flight conditions. Sensi-Contugi, a former businessman appointed by President Noboa in 2024 to lead Ecuador's intelligence agency, was a prominent figure in the country's political landscape.
Rising Helicopter Accidents in Kenya
Helicopter crashes in Kenya have been increasing as tourism expands, with Mount Ololokwe being a popular destination accessed by light aircraft. Several tour operators offer flights to remote sites like Mount Ololokwe, drawing visitors from around the world.
In February, another Eurocopter EC130 B4 crashed in a mountainous area, killing all six passengers, including a member of parliament. Authorities are now reviewing whether there are systemic issues related to aircraft maintenance, weather patterns, or pilot training that may be contributing to the rising number of accidents.
