A light aircraft carrying 12 passengers has crashed into a forested hillside in Diani area of Kwale County, in what authorities now confirm is a fatal accident.
The incident occurred early Tuesday morning, shortly after the plane departed from Diani and was en route to Kichwa Tembo in the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
According to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), the aircraft – bearing registration 5Y-CCA – crashed at approximately 05:30 Z with 12 people on board.
Eyewitnesses at the scene posted photos and videos of sections of the plane engulfed in flames and scattered debris in the thick terrain.
Local authorities said poor visibility and rugged conditions complicated rescue efforts.
Kwale’s County Commissioner, Stephen Orinde, confirmed that emergency services are on site near Diani and investigations into the cause of the crash are underway.
Though the full passenger manifest has not been released, local media report that most of the victims were foreign tourists, intensifying international attention on Kenya’s aviation safety record.
The crash is already being described as the deadliest aviation incident in the Kenyan coast region in recent years.
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Government officials say they will provide further updates as search, recovery and investigative operations continue.
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