Eleven people have lost their lives after a light aircraft operated by Mombasa Air Safari crashed and caught fire shortly after take-off from Diani, Kenya, on Tuesday morning. The plane, which was en route to Kichwa Tembo in the Maasai Mara National Park, went down around 5:30 a.m. local time (0230 GMT), roughly 40 kilometers from Diani airstrip.
Eyewitnesses said they heard a loud explosion moments after the plane took off, followed by a massive fireball. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) confirmed that all 11 occupants — including eight Hungarian tourists, two Germans, and a Kenyan pilot — died in the crash. Mombasa Air Safari Chairman John Cleave expressed deep sorrow, confirming there were no survivors.
Officials reported that the aircraft was completely engulfed in flames, complicating efforts to identify the victims. Investigators have launched a probe into the cause of the disaster, with the airline pledging full cooperation with authorities. The tragedy is a major setback for Kenya’s tourism industry, as the Maasai Mara remains one of Africa’s top safari destinations.
This marks the third aviation tragedy in Kenya this year. In August, an AMREF Flying Doctors plane crashed in Kiambu County, killing six people, while another crash near Naivasha in January claimed the lives of a foreign couple. The recent incidents have renewed concerns about domestic air safety and the need for stronger aviation regulations.
