"Exceptional man": Colleagues mourn Telemundo executive in chopper tragedy
This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.
- Telemundo executive José Alberto Suárez, 55, was among seven people who died when a tourist helicopter went down in Samburu County on Wednesday, August 19
- The helicopter was carrying six passengers and a pilot when it crashed near Mount Ololokwe at around 9:13am during a safari excursion
- NBC Universal executives confirmed Suárez's death in a message to staff, describing the veteran broadcaster as an exceptional colleague and mentor
A veteran television executive with nearly three decades in the industry was among seven people who lost their lives when a tourist helicopter crashed in a remote area of northern Kenya on Wednesday, 19 August.
José Alberto Suárez, 55, served as president and general manager of Telemundo-affiliated stations in Orlando, Tampa and Fort Myers-Naples, Florida.
He was travelling with a group of tourists when the Eurocopper EC130 B4, operated by Lady Lori Helicopters, went down near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County at approximately 9:13am.
The aircraft had been heading from the Loisaba Conservancy towards the Ewaso Nyiro area when it crashed.
Kenya's Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that all seven people on board, comprising six passengers and the pilot, perished in the accident. The US State Department identified five of the victims as American citizens.
Who was José Alberto Suárez?
Suárez spent roughly 25 years building a distinguished career in broadcast television, rising through the ranks to hold senior leadership roles across multiple Telemundo markets.
Before his tenure in Florida, he led Telemundo stations in San Antonio, Sacramento, Fresno, Las Vegas, and Utah. He also had roots at NBC6 and Telemundo 51 in Miami.
His work earned him Emmy honours and Associated Press awards, recognising his contribution to television news over the years.
According to the New York Post, in a message to staff, NBCUniversal executives described Suárez as someone who brought "energy, humor, warmth and a strong sense of purpose" to everything he did.
They remembered him as an exceptional colleague and mentor whose impact reached far beyond the stations he managed.
Other victims in the crash
Suárez was not the only prominent figure aboard the aircraft. Ecuador's intelligence chief Michele Sensi-Contugi and his wife Stephany Hollihan Vásconez also died in the crash, alongside Americans Roger Edward Duarte, Adam Martin Hlavaty and Henry Parra. Kenyan pilot Josh Outram also perished.
The helicopter had been transporting guests of safari company &Beyond at the time of the accident.
Recovery efforts proved particularly challenging due to the rugged, difficult-to-access terrain around the crash site, which was further complicated by a fire that broke out following the impact.
Kenya's aviation authorities have opened an investigation into the cause of the accident, though no findings have been released as yet.
What happened to Michele Sensi-Contugi?
We also highlighted facts about Michele Sensi-Contugi, Ecuador's director of intelligence, who tragically lost his life in a helicopter crash in Kenya, alongside his wife Stephany Hollihan Vasconez.
Their untimely deaths mark a significant loss not only for Ecuador but also for the strategic intelligence community, as Sensi-Contugi was considered a pivotal figure and trusted advisor to President Daniel Noboa.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.