Heartbreak In Skies: 10 Tourists & Pilot Killed In Tragic Kenya Plane Crash

By Our Reporter

A tragic plane crash in Kenya’s coastal region has claimed the lives of ten European tourists — eight Hungarians and two Germans along with their Kenyan pilot, after a light aircraft operated by Mombasa Air Safari went down while en route from Diani to the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Authorities confirmed that the ill-fated aircraft took off from Diani, a popular Indian Ocean resort town, but lost contact with air traffic control shortly after departure. The control tower reportedly attempted to reach the pilot for over 30 minutes before the wreckage was discovered in a hilly, forested area about 10 kilometers from Kwale town.

Kwale County Commissioner Stephen Orinde told the BBC that the aircraft was headed to Kichwa Tembo Airstrip, a gateway for safari-bound tourists visiting the Maasai Mara, one of Africa’s premier wildlife destinations.

“The passengers were all tourists,” Orinde said. “The weather is not very good here at the moment. It’s been raining since morning and it’s quite misty, but we cannot preempt the findings of the investigation.”

Eyewitnesses in the area reported hearing a loud explosion before spotting smoke rising from the hills. When they reached the crash site, the plane was engulfed in flames, leaving behind a charred wreckage and unrecognizable remains.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) initially reported that the crash occurred around 05:30 a.m. local time, but Transport Minister later clarified the incident took place at approximately 08:35 a.m.

Mombasa Air Safari, in a statement, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, confirming that none of the eleven people aboard survived.

“Our primary focus right now is on providing all possible support to the families affected,” the airline said.

Investigators from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Department have been dispatched to the scene to determine the cause of the crash. Early reports suggest that adverse weather conditions could have played a role.

The Kenyan government has pledged full transparency, emphasizing that aviation safety remains the country’s “highest priority.”

Images circulating on local media show debris strewn across the crash site, with emergency crews and investigators combing through the remains of the aircraft.

The Maasai Mara, located about two hours’ flight from Diani, is a major tourism hub famous for its spectacular wildebeest migration and abundant wildlife making the route one of the most popular among visiting tourists.

The tragedy comes just months after a separate plane crash involving a medical charity, Amref, which killed six people near Nairobi in August, raising renewed concerns over small aircraft safety in Kenya’s skies.