A light plane crash has reportedly killed 11 people — mostly foreign tourists in Kenya's coastal region of Kwale early Tuesday while en route to Maasai Mara National Reserve.

The airline, Mombasa Air safari confirmed in a statement that eight Hungarian and two German passengers along with a Kenyan pilot were among the victims of the fatal crash, that left no survivors.

THE PLANE CRASH

According to CBS NEWS, the airline did not confirm the exact time the aircraft departed Diani airstrip, stating that the pilot had failed to communicate upon departure and the airport control tower tried to reach him for 30 minutes but there was no response, until the wreckage of the plane was located.

"Our primary focus right now is on providing all possible support to the families affected," Mombasa Air Safari said in a statement obtained by BBC News.

Authorities initially believed and reported the plane crash to have to have happened at 5:30 a.m. local time, this was reported to the Associated Press by Kwale County. Commissioner Stephen Orinde.

Later, the Ministry of transport released in a statement that the crash occurred 8:35 a.m. which was 3 hours after the initial reported time.

There were also suggestions made that the bad weather could have been one of the primary causes of the fatal crash, Orinde via a released statement from BBC said, "The weather is not very good here at the moment. Since early in the morning, it is raining and it is very misty, but we cannot preempt [the findings],"

The plane according to authorities, crashed in a hilly and forested area about 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Diani airstrip

Citizen TV reported that the bodies of the passengers had been burnt beyond recognition. The aircraft burst into flames leaving a charred wreckage at the scene, officials said. Witnesses reported to the Associated News Press agency, that they had initially heard a big bang which they believed to be the Plane's crash impact to the forest, and this was quickly followed by bursting flames, and upon arriving the scene, all they saw were human remains scattered across the area.

THE SECURITY OF KENYA'S TOURISM SECTOR

The Maasai Mara National Reserve, located west of the coastline — one of Africa's most renowned wildlife destination — is a two-hour direct flight from Diani, a popular coastal town celebrated for its white-sand beaches along the Indian Ocean.

The Maasai Mara National Reserve attracts thousands of visitors annually, all drawn by breathtaking spectacle of the wildebeest migration from Tanzania's Serengeti — an event some believe to be the one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa.

Tourism plays a vital role in Kenya's economy, with both the Diani and Maasai Mara serving as key pillars of the nation's hospitality and conservation industries.

However, the tragic event on Tuesday has cast a dark shadow over the industry, which has already been affected by weather-related challenges and growing safety concerns. Last year, heavy floods forced the evacuation of tourists by helicopter from parts of the reserve, highlighting the increasing environmental and infrastructural risks that threaten the Kenyan tourism sector.

The country's aviation safety record, also raises various concerns. According to the most recent safety oversight audit for Kenya posted on the International Civil Aviation Organisation site, from 2018, Kenya's performance in the area of accident investigation fell below the global average.

This indicator according to experts point towards broader issues in regulatory oversight and emergency response.

The latest incident follows a string of light aircraft crashes including a 2019 accident that killed two American tourists, another in 2024 involving a medical NGO plane that left six people dead and to make it even worse, a Mombasa Air Safari plane that crashed in the Maasai Mara in 2012, with four people killed.

In wake of Tuesday's unfortunate tragedy, Mombasa Air Safari Chairman John Cleave announced that the airline had activated its emergency response team and set up a family assistance unit to provide counseling and logistical support to relatives of the victims.

"our hearts and prayers all with all those affected by the crash". Cleave said in a released statement assuring that the Company was fully cooperating with investigators.

International reactions have also started coming in, particularly from Hungary which unfortunately suffered the death of 8 of its citizens.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán wrote on social media on Tuesday that his foreign ministry had been in contact with authorities in Kenya concerning the Hungarian victims of the plane crash.

He said: "What a tragedy! Our sincere condolences to families of the Hungarians who died in the plane crash in Kenya."

Meanwhile, Kenya's Ministry of Transport reiterated that aviation safety remains the government's "highest priority" as investigations continue into what caused the fatal crash that claimed 11 lives.

THE WAY FORWARD

As the nation mourns, there is renewed emphasis on making sure such tragic events do not recur in the near future.

More investigations into to the cause of the crash are currently underway, with officials from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) as well as the Air Accident Investigation Department deployed to the scene.

Although, preliminary reports suggest that poor visibility due to the bad weather conditions may have played a significant role in the crash, authorities haven't ruled out the possibility of a technical failure or even human error.

At the moment, search and recovery efforts are ongoing with the local police and emergency responders working closely with aviation experts to retrieve flight data and identify victims.

This tragedy has reignited discussions about the safety standards of Kenya's aviation industry, calling for stricter regulations and frequent aircraft inspections.

These repeated accidents have also raised concerns about the reputation of Kenya's tourism industry, citing that accidents like this damage the reputation of the industry which is still recovering from past environmental and infrastructural challenges.

Despite this heartbreak, however, the Maasai Mara remains a symbol of Kenya's natural beauty — a reminder that preserving both life and landscape must go hand in hand and one can only hope that — this unfortunate accident does not deter people from experiencing its wonder.