Plane crashes shortly after takeoff

The aircraft had departed from the coastal resort town of Diani and was heading toward the Maasai Mara National Reserve when it went down around 5:30 a.m. local time.

Authorities confirmed that the victims included eight Hungarian tourists, two Germans, and the Kenyan pilot.

John Cleave, chairman of Mombasa Air Safari, said in a statement that there were «no survivors» and that emergency response teams had been immediately dispatched to the crash site.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said investigators are working to determine the cause of the accident, which occurred in a remote, forested area of Kwale County.

The plane, believed to be a Cessna Caravan, was part of a scheduled charter service often used by tourists traveling to Kenya's famous wildlife parks.

Rescue workers reached the crash site hours later due to difficult terrain and limited visibility at dawn.

Officials said the wreckage was completely destroyed by the impact. Teams from local government agencies and aviation authorities are coordinating to retrieve the bodies and analyze the flight data.

Kenya's Civil Aviation Authority initially reported 12 people on board, but later confirmed 11 after verifying the passenger manifest.

The airline has expressed its condolences to the families affected by the disaster.

Small-plane crashes are not uncommon in Kenya, especially on regional routes that connect remote tourist destinations.

Harsh weather, challenging geography, and aging aircraft often complicate air travel in the region.

Just two months ago, another light aircraft belonging to the medical NGO Amref crashed near Nairobi, killing six people and injuring two others - a reminder of the risks associated with domestic aviation in East Africa.