A small tourist aircraft crashed early Tuesday, October 28, in Kenya’s coastal county of Kwale, killing all 11 people on board, according to local authorities. The plane, a Cessna Caravan operated by Mombasa Air Safari, was headed to the world-famous Maasai Mara National Reserve when it went down just minutes after takeoff from Diani Airstrip. Kwale County Commissioner Stephen Orinde confirmed that all passengers were believed to be foreign tourists, though their nationalities have yet to be officially disclosed. The aircraft reportedly crashed in a remote, hilly, and forested area about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Diani before bursting into flames.
Residents in the nearby village said they heard a loud explosion shortly after 8 a.m. local time. “We rushed to the site, but the plane was already burning,” one eyewitness told local media. “There was nothing anyone could do the wreckage was completely charred.” The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said it has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash, working closely with Mombasa Air Safari and emergency responders. A recovery operation is ongoing to retrieve the victims’ remains and secure the crash site.
Preliminary reports suggest that bad weather and poor visibility could have contributed to the crash, though officials have not ruled out mechanical failure. The Maasai Mara, located in southwestern Kenya, attracts thousands of tourists each year for its rich wildlife and the annual wildebeest migration. The incident marks one of the worst aviation accidents in Kenya’s recent tourism history.
