Small Plane Crashes in Kenya, All 11 Passengers and Crew Killed
A tourist aircraft traveling to the Maasai Mara National Park went down early Tuesday morning, leaving no survivors among the international passengers on board.
A tragic air disaster struck Kenya on Tuesday morning when a small passenger plane crashed, claiming the lives of all 11 people aboard. The victims included eight Hungarian nationals, two German citizens, and one Kenyan pilot.
The aircraft, operated by Mombasa Air Safari, was flying from Diani a popular beach destination on Kenya’s coast to Kichwa Tembo airstrip in the world-famous Maasai Mara National Park. The plane went down at approximately 5:30 a.m. local time.
John Cleave, chairman of Mombasa Air Safari, confirmed the devastating news in an official statement. “Sadly, there are no survivors,” Cleave said, based on preliminary reports from the crash site.
The airline has launched its emergency response team and is working closely with Kenyan authorities to investigate the incident. “Our hearts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragic event,” the statement added.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has confirmed that government agencies are already at the crash site working to determine what caused the accident. No additional details about the circumstances of the crash have been released at this time.
This incident marks the second deadly light aircraft crash in Kenya in recent months. In August, a plane operated by the medical charity Amref went down near Nairobi, killing six people and injuring two others.
The Maasai Mara is one of Kenya’s most visited tourist destinations, known for its wildlife and the annual wildebeest migration. Small aircraft are commonly used to transport tourists between coastal resorts and safari destinations across the country.
