Light Aircraft Carrying Tourists Crashes in Kenya, 12 Feared Dead

Source:APF

A light aircraft carrying 12 people has crashed in Kenya while flying from the coastal resort town of Diani to the Maasai Mara, with all on board feared dead.

According to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), the plane went down early Tuesday morning shortly after takeoff.

“The aircraft had 12 persons on board,” KCAA said in a statement, adding that emergency response teams and government agencies had been dispatched to the scene to determine the cause of the crash.

The aircraft, reportedly a Cessna Grand Caravan (registration 5Y-CCA), was en route to Kichwa Tembo Airstrip, a popular landing site for tourists visiting the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Preliminary reports indicate that the victims included several foreign tourists, though their nationalities have not been disclosed.

The crash occurred in a remote area of Kwale County, near Kenya’s southern coast. Images and videos circulating on social media showed wreckage scattered across a wooded area as rescue teams worked to reach the site.

Kenya’s Transport Ministry said an investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances that led to the incident. Weather conditions and possible technical faults are among factors being examined.

This latest tragedy adds to a troubling series of aviation accidents in Kenya in recent years. In March 2024, a Safarilink Aviation flight collided mid-air with a 99 Flying School training aircraft over Nairobi National Park, killing two people. In August 2024, an AMREF Flying Doctors aircraft crashed into a residential area in Ruiru, Kiambu County, leaving six people dead.

Kenya’s aviation sector has faced growing scrutiny over aircraft maintenance and pilot training standards, particularly on regional and chartered flights serving the country’s vast network of private airstrips.

Authorities have urged the public to avoid speculation until the official investigation concludes.