Kenya light aircraft crash leaves 11 dead: Airline

A small plane travelling from Kenya’s coast crashed on Tuesday, killing all 11 people on board, including foreigners, the airline said.

The small plane was en route to Kichwa Tembo – an airstrip located in the Maasai Mara National Park – from the tourist hotspot of Diani when it came down at around 5:30 am local time (0230 GMT).

Mombasa Air Safari chairman John Cleave confirmed the accident and said there were 10 passengers – eight Hungarians, two Germans – and a Kenyan captain.

“Sadly, there are no survivors,” he said in a statement, citing preliminary information, adding that they had “activated our emergency response team” and were cooperating with local authorities.

“Our hearts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragic event,” the statement said.

An earlier statement from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said the aircraft had been carrying 12 people at the time of the crash.

The KCAA gave no further details but said that government agencies were already on site to establish the cause of the accident.

In August, a light aircraft belonging to the medical NGO Amref crashed on the outskirts of capital Nairobi, killing six and injuring two more.