By The Weekly Vision Reporter
Ten tourists perished yesterday in an accident involving a light aircraft that was operating a scheduled flight from Diani Airport to Kichwa Tembo in the Maasai Mara. The aircraft, registration number 5Y-CCA, belonged to Mombasa Air Safari Limited and was carrying eight Hungarian nationals, two Germans, and one Kenyan crew member, who was the captain.
“We have activated our emergency response and are fully cooperating with the relevant authorities, who have commenced investigations. Our primary focus right now is to provide all possible support to the families affected. A dedicated Family Assistance Team has been established to offer counselling, logistical coordination, and any required assistance,” the airline said in a statement.
“We will provide further updates as more information becomes available and in coordination with the investigating authorities,” the statement added. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said the accident occurred at around 5:30 a.m.
Kwale County Commissioner Stephen Orinde told the BBC that the plane crashed about 10 kilometres (six miles) from Kwale town shortly after taking off from Diani. “It was en route to Kichwa Tembo, an airstrip in the Maasai Mara that is popular with holidaymakers because of its wildlife,” Orinde said.
He confirmed that all the passengers were tourists and added that investigations into the cause of the crash were ongoing, although poor weather conditions were suspected. “The weather is not very good here at the moment. Since early morning, it has been raining and very misty, but we cannot pre-empt the findings,” Orinde stated.
