The Cessna Caravan aircraft reportedly went down around 5:30 a.m. in a hilly, forested area about 40 kilometres from Diani airstrip, erupting into flames on impact.
A plane carrying tourists has crashed in Kenya's Kwale County.
The sad incident happened Tuesday morning while flying to the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
At least eleven people, including ten foreign tourists were confirmed d3ad after the Mombasa Air Safari plane crash.
According to local authorities, the victims comprised eight Hungarian nationals, two Germans, and a Kenyan pilot. The Cessna Caravan aircraft reportedly went down around 5:30 a.m. in a hilly, forested area about 40 kilometres from Diani airstrip, erupting into flames on impact.
Kwale County Commissioner Stephen Orinde told the Associated Press that heavy rainfall and poor visibility may have contributed to the crash. He said the wreckage was completely destroyed by fire, leaving no survivors.
The airline confirmed that the pilot lost communication shortly after takeoff, prompting the Diani control tower to initiate emergency tracing efforts. Contact attempts continued for about 30 minutes before the wreckage was located.
Eyewitnesses said they heard a loud explosion before discovering the plane engulfed in flames, with the bodies of the victims beyond recognition.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) initially reported twelve people on board but later revised the figure to eleven after verifying passenger details. An official investigation has since been launched to determine the cause of the tragedy.
The flight was headed for the Maasai Mara National Reserve, one of Africa’s premier wildlife destinations, renowned for the annual wildebeest migration. It had departed from Diani, a popular resort town along Kenya’s Indian Ocean coastline.
The incident has renewed concerns over Kenya’s aviation safety record, as previous audits by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) have highlighted gaps in accident investigation capacity.
The crash has cast a pall over Kenya’s tourism industry, which relies heavily on both its coastal destinations and wildlife reserves to attract visitors from around the world.