Who was José Alberto Suárez? 5 things to know about Telemundo executive dead in Kenya helicopter crash

José Alberto Suárez, a prominent executive at Telemundo, a Spanish-language news channel based in Miami, Florida, lost his life in a tragic helicopter crash in Kenya on Wednesday. The helicopter, carrying seven passengers and one pilot, crashed near Mount Ololokwe around 9:13am local time, resulting in the loss of all seven lives.

Among the deceased were six passengers and the helicopter's pilot, with no further details about the individuals released by Kenyan authorities. Suárez's colleagues at Telemundo, including NBCU Newsgroup Chairman Cesar Conde, NBCU Local Chairman Valari Staab, and Telemundo Station Group President Jose Cancela, expressed their deep sorrow over the loss, describing Suárez as an exceptional colleague who deeply cared for his teams, communities, and the vital role played by their stations in the lives of people.

Born and raised in Florida, Suárez had a 25-year career in the television industry, serving as the president and general manager of Telemundo's KCSO-LD, Channel 33 in Sacramento between April 2019 and February 2024. Prior to that, he worked at various stations in Clovis and Orlando. Details about Suárez's personal life, including his family, were not disclosed in the initial statement from his colleagues.

The cause of the crash remains unknown, and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) is currently investigating the incident.