Nairobi, Kenya
AP
—
Twelve people are feared dead after a small plane crashed in Kenya’s Kwale coastal region early Tuesday while en route to the Masai Mara National Reserve, authorities said.
Officials said the accident occurred in a hilly and forested area about 40 kilometers from the Diani runway. Kwale County Commissioner Stephen Olinde told The Associated Press that the passengers were “all foreign tourists” and their nationalities would be confirmed at a later date.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said there were 12 people on board the Cessna Caravan aircraft and authorities were investigating the cause of the crash. The breakdown of the number of passengers and crew was not immediately clear.
Officials said the plane crashed minutes after takeoff and burst into flames, leaving charred debris at the scene.
Witnesses told The Associated Press that they heard a loud bang and arrived at the scene to find unrecognizable human remains.
Mombasa Air Safari Airlines told The Associated Press that it is working with the Civil Aviation Authority and any updates on the crash will be shared through authorities.
The Masai Mara National Reserve is a popular tourist destination, with wildebeest migrating from the Serengeti in Tanzania each year.
