The Kenyan government has officially confirmed that all 11 occupants aboard a commercial aircraft that crashed in Kwale County suffered fatal injuries. Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir stated that the Kenyan-registered plane, operated by Mombasa Air Safari, was destroyed upon impact and by an ensuing fire. The tragic incident occurred earlier on Tuesday.

The ill-fated aircraft, identified by registration 5Y-CCA, had departed from Diani Airport at approximately 8:25 AM, bound for Kichwa Tembo in the renowned Maasai Mara Game Reserve. Tragically, it lost contact with the Mombasa International Airport control tower just about 10 minutes later, at 8:35 AM.

Following the loss of contact, a multi-agency emergency response team was immediately dispatched to the area. The wreckage was subsequently located in Tsimba Golini Ward, Matuga Sub-County, within Kwale County, approximately 10 kilometers (six miles) from Kwale town. Images published by local media depicted the plane in flames, with debris scattered extensively across the crash site.

Mombasa Air Safari later released a statement identifying the victims. The passengers included eight Hungarian tourists and two German nationals, alongside one Kenyan crew member, bringing the total fatalities to 11. The airline expressed its primary focus on providing support to the affected families.

Investigators from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Department (AAID) have been deployed to the site to conduct a thorough and independent investigation into the cause of the crash. However, Kwale County Commissioner Stephen Orinde noted that ongoing investigations were being hampered by adverse weather conditions, including persistent rain and mist in the area.

Cabinet Secretary Chirchir reiterated the government's steadfast commitment to enhancing aviation safety oversight in Kenya. He affirmed that all necessary measures would be implemented to uphold the highest standards of air safety, ensuring a transparent and independent inquiry into this tragic event. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) had also confirmed the morning crash. The incident brings to mind a previous light aircraft crash in August near Nairobi, which claimed six lives.