Ecuador President Daniel Noboa has paid an emotional tribute to Michele Sensi-Contugi, the country’s intelligence chief who died alongside his wife, Stephany Hollihan Vásconez, after a helicopter crash in Kenya.
In a statement on August 20, Noboa described Sensi-Contugi as a loyal, brave, and steadfast friend who stood by him during some of the most difficult moments of his presidency.
“The accident in Kenya took two friends from me, but above all, it took from us two people who were family to us,” Noboa said in a statement on August 20.
The President said Sensi-Contugi stood by him when he had to make difficult decisions that few people were willing to confront, and described the intelligence chief as “irreplaceable” in the battles they had fought together.
According to President Noboa, their relationship went beyond their work in government.
He said he was still struggling to come to terms with the deaths of Sensi-Contugi and Hollihan.
“As parents, Lavinia and I know there was nothing more important to them than their children,” Noboa said, referring to himself and his wife, Lavinia.
The President also pledged to support the couple’s children following the loss of their parents, saying they would not be left alone.
“We’ll take care of them and stand by them, just as we know they would have done for ours,” Noboa said.
“We’ll miss them our whole lives and carry them with us always,” he said.
Sensi-Contugi and Wife Killed in Kenya Helicopter Crash
Sensi-Contugi, 44, and Hollihan were among seven people killed when a tourist helicopter crashed near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County on August 19.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said the helicopter was conducting a scenic flight from Loisaba Conservancy to Ewaso Nyiro when it crashed at about 9:13 a.m.
The victims included Sensi-Contugi, Hollihan, four American citizens, and the Kenyan pilot.
At the time of his death, Sensi-Contugi was Director General of Ecuador’s National Intelligence Centre (CNI), having first been appointed to head the agency in January 2024.
He briefly served as Ecuador’s Minister of Government later that year before returning to the intelligence post in August 2024.
Sensi-Contugi was regarded as one of Noboa’s closest aides and personal friends.
Ecuador has since declared three days of national mourning in honour of the intelligence chief.
Noboa Orders Protection for Children
A day after the crash, Noboa ordered security protection for Sensi-Contugi’s children through an Executive Decree.
The directive ordered the Presidential Military Household to provide security and protection for the children following the death of their parents.
According to Ecuadorian newspaper El Comercio, Noboa signed the decree while on an international tour in China.
The order also allows protection to be extended to other family members if a security assessment determines that they face a potential security risk.
The protection order followed Noboa’s pledge to stand by the children following the death of their parents.
Kenyan authorities are continuing investigations into the circumstances surrounding the helicopter crash.
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