José Suárez, longtime Telemundo executive, dies in Kenya helicopter crash

The veteran South Florida media leader was among seven people killed when a sightseeing helicopter crashed in northern Kenya

Telemundo leader José Alberto Suárez died in a helicopter crash in Kenya on Wednesday. (Photo via x.com/josetv)

Posted Thursday, August 20, 2026 11:13 am

Natasha Yee | Miami New Times

José Alberto Suárez spent decades helping shape Spanish-language television in South Florida, rising from reporter and anchor to one of Telemundo’s top station executives.

On Wednesday, the longtime media executive and president and general manager of Telemundo 51 in Miami, Telemundo 49 in Tampa, and Telemundo Fort Myers-Naples, died in a helicopter crash in northern Kenya. He was 55. According to NBC 6, Suárez was one of four Americans killed when the helicopter went down in Samburu County. He was traveling with a group that included Miami entrepreneur Roger Duarte, the founder of George Stone Crab and co-founder of My Ceviche, who also died in the crash, along with two other Americans.

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José Suárez, longtime Telemundo executive, dies in Kenya helicopter crash

The veteran South Florida media leader was among seven people killed when a sightseeing helicopter crashed in northern Kenya

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José Suárez, longtime Telemundo executive, dies in Kenya helicopter crash

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