An executive with Spanish-language television company Telemundo, as well as a businessman from Miami and a fashion designer, were among the seven victims killed in a helicopter crash in Kenya, local authorities said.

Colleagues of José Alberto Suárez, 55, the president and general manager of Telemundo 31, Telemundo 49 and Telemundo Ft. Myers–Naples, confirmed his death in a Wednesday, Aug. 19 statement shared by NBC affiliate WTVJ.

“We are heartbroken to learn the tragic news that José was killed in a helicopter accident in Kenya,” said NBCU Newsgroup Chairman Cesar Conde, NBCU Local Chairman Valari Staab, and Telemundo Station Group President Jose Cancela in a statement. “José was an exceptional colleague who cared deeply about his teams, the communities they served and the important role our stations play in people’s lives.”

“He brought energy, humor, warmth and a strong sense of purpose to his work, and his impact was felt far beyond the stations he led,” the statement continued. “Our hearts are with his loved ones, and with all of José’s colleagues and friends who are grieving this terrible loss.”

The incident involved a Eurocopter EC130 B4 and occurred at about 9:13 a.m. local time on Wednesday near Mt. Ololokwe in Samburu County, about 170 miles north of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, according to a statement by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).

The agency said that seven people were on board at the time of the crash.

A Kenyan police official confirmed the victims to ABC News as pilot Josh Outram, plus passengers Roger Edward Duarte, Adam Martin Hlavaty, Henry Parra, Jose Alberto Suarez, Stephany Maria Hollihan Vasconez and Michele Sensi-Contugi.

Of the seven victims, five were Americans, according to the State Department.

“The U.S. Embassy is in touch with local authorities and is providing consular assistance,” the department said in a statement, The Associated Press reported. “We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones on their loss.”

The KCAA said the helicopter was flying south from Loisaba, a wildlife conservancy, to the Ewaso Nyiro River. Witnesses told the news outlet Kenyans that the chopper went down in a remote, hard-to-reach area near the mountain. Smoke and fire were also reported.

Suarez had spent nearly 20 years with Telemundo and NBC stations, WTVJ reported. Prior to joining NBCUniversal, which owns Telemundo, he served as a reporter and anchor at media companies in Florida, Ohio and Texas.

Duarte, one of the other victims identified in the crash, was a Miami-based entrepreneur behind businesses George Stone Crab and My Ceviche, according to Miami New Times. He was also the CEO of Hospitality Capital Partners.

“We built our companies side by side,” Richard Lamondin, a Florida politician, told the outlet. “We lost a great person and a great talent. I ate way too much of his ceviche. He will be missed. My love to his family.”

Another of the victims, Hollihan Vasconez, 42, was an Ecuadorian-based fashion designer and founder of Sensi Studio, a clothing brand, according to Harper’s Bazaar Ecuador, which paid tribute to her in an Instagram post.

“Harper’s BAZAAR Ecuador extends its deepest condolences to her family, friends, and loved ones. Her legacy in Ecuadorian fashion will live on,” their post read.

Hollihan Vasconez’s husband, Sensi-Contugi, also died in the crash. He served as Ecuador’s intelligence chief, according to Miami New Times.

The KCAA said that it was coordinating with other agencies, adding that the Ministry of Roads and Transport’s Air Accident Investigation Department is leading the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

PEOPLE contacted the KCAA and the State Department on Wednesday, but did not receive immediate replies.