Kwale (BN24) – A small plane carrying 12 people, including foreign tourists, crashed early Tuesday morning in Kenya’s coastal Kwale County shortly after taking off from Diani Airstrip, with all on board feared dead, officials confirmed.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said the Cessna Caravan aircraft, registered as 5Y-CCA, departed from Diani for Kichwa Tembo near the Maasai Mara National Reserve but went down minutes later in Tsimba, a hilly and densely forested area about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the airstrip.
“The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority wishes to confirm that an aircraft registration number 5Y-CCA, on its way from Diani to Kichwa Tembo, crashed at 0530Z,” the agency stated. “Government agencies are already on site to establish the cause of the accident and its impact.”
Officials said the plane burst into flames after impact, leaving a charred wreckage scattered across the crash site. Footage shared by local media showed the aircraft engulfed in flames as first responders arrived to conduct rescue operations. Witnesses described hearing a loud explosion before discovering debris and human remains at the scene.
Kwale County Commissioner Stephen Orinde told the Associated Press that all those on board were believed to be foreign tourists, although their nationalities have not yet been confirmed. The number of crew members was also not immediately disclosed.
Kwale police commander Abdillahi Alio said the crash occurred just moments after takeoff in an area known for its thick forest and rough terrain. He confirmed that local police and rescue teams were working alongside aviation officials to secure the area and gather evidence.
Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the crash, but preliminary reports suggest poor visibility and unfavorable weather conditions may have played a role. The Kenya Meteorological Department had issued warnings days earlier, urging coastal residents to brace for heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and strong winds linked to tropical storm Chenge.
According to the weather agency, the storm was located about 500 kilometers north of Madagascar on Sunday and was moving westward toward the coasts of Kenya and Tanzania, bringing the risk of high waves and extreme weather. On the morning of the crash, Diani experienced rain, high winds, and thunder, prompting speculation about whether conditions were safe for flight.
The aircraft was operated by Mombasa Air Safari, a charter company known for connecting coastal towns to major safari destinations. The airline said it was cooperating fully with investigators and would release additional information through the civil aviation authority.
Maasai Mara National Reserve, the plane’s destination, is one of Africa’s most iconic wildlife sanctuaries, drawing thousands of international tourists each year to witness the great wildebeest migration from Tanzania’s Serengeti.
The Kwale crash marks one of the deadliest aviation incidents in Kenya in recent years and has reignited concerns about flight safety during extreme weather conditions.
