Roger Duarte, a 42-year-old Miami food entrepreneur and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, was among seven people killed when a helicopter crashed in northern Kenya on Wednesday, August 19. The crash occurred at about 9:13 AM local time near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County.
Duarte was one of six passengers aboard the Eurocopter EC130 B4, along with Kenyan pilot Josh Outran. All seven people on board died in the crash, including five U.S. citizens. The aircraft was flying from Loisaba, a wildlife conservancy, toward the Ewaso Nyiro River when it crashed.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said the helicopter went down in the rugged foothills of Mount Ololokwe. The cause of the crash has not been determined, and an investigation is underway.
From Investment Banking To Miami Food Entrepreneur
Duarte began his career in investment banking before leaving the industry at the age of 24 to launch George Stone Crab, an international delivery business specializing in stone crabs from the Florida Keys.
The company grew into a national operation, shipping Florida stone crab claws directly to customers across the country. Duarte’s work earned him a place on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in 2016 in the food and wine category.
He later co-founded My Ceviche with chef Sam Gorenstein in 2012. The restaurant began in a small South Beach location and expanded across South Florida. Duarte also founded Zuuk Mediterranean Kitchen and later became CEO of Hospitality Capital Partners.
Duarte lived in Miami with his wife, Nicole Valls Duarte, and their two young sons. His wife is part of the Valls family, which owns longtime Miami restaurant institutions including Versailles Restaurant and La Carreta.
Duarte’s father, Roger Duarte Sr., confirmed his son’s death and told the Daily Mail he was devastated by the loss. He said the family did not yet know what had caused the crash.
The other victims included Florida-based Telemundo executive José Alberto Suárez, aviation software executive Henry Parra, his husband Adam Hlavaty, Ecuadorian intelligence chief Michele Sensi-Contugi and his wife, fashion designer Stephany Hollihan Vásconez.
A luxury safari company confirmed that its guests were involved in the crash. Kenya’s Air Accident Investigation Department is leading the investigation.