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Kenya Safari Flight to Maasai Mara Crashes After Takeoff, Killing 11

Authorities have opened a formal investigation, with poor visibility in heavy rain under review as a potential factor.

Overview

  • The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, registration 5Y-CCA, crashed minutes after departing Diani for Kichwa Tembo, coming down in a wooded, hilly area of Kwale County.
  • Mombasa Air Safari confirmed there were no survivors among the 11 on board: eight Hungarian tourists, two German tourists, and the Kenyan pilot.
  • Officials reported a post-impact fire with charred wreckage, and witnesses described a loud bang and remains that were unrecognizable.
  • Kenyan aviation regulators and the accident investigation department are on site, and an initial count of 12 people was revised to 11 confirmed dead.
  • The airline said the control tower tried for 30 minutes to reach the pilot after departure as investigators assess weather conditions and other potential causes.