A small aircraft carrying European tourists to one of Kenya’s most renowned wildlife destinations crashed early Tuesday morning, October 28, 2025, killing all 11 people aboard in a fiery impact that left only charred wreckage scattered across a hilly, forested area near the country’s coastal region.
The Cessna Caravan operated by Mombasa Air Safari went down at 5:30 a.m. local time, approximately 25 miles from Diani airstrip in Kwale County, according to authorities. The aircraft was bound for Kichwa Tembo, an airstrip in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, a two-hour flight west of the coastal departure point.
Eight Hungarian nationals and two German passengers perished in the crash, along with the Kenyan pilot whose identity has not yet been released. Mombasa Air Safari confirmed the nationalities in a statement, expressing profound sadness over the loss and indicating that their primary focus was providing support to the affected families.
The pilot failed to communicate with the airport control tower upon departure from Diani, prompting controllers to attempt contact for 30 minutes before the aircraft was finally located at the crash site. The airline did not confirm the exact departure time in its initial statements.
Kwale County Commissioner Stephen Orinde told The Associated Press that investigating agencies were examining the cause of the accident. Heavy rain had been falling across coastal Kenya that morning, and weather conditions were poor at the time of the crash. According to Orinde, “The weather is not very good here at the moment. Since early in the morning, it is raining and it is very misty, but we cannot preempt [the findings].”
The aircraft burst into flames upon impact, and witnesses who rushed to the scene reported hearing a loud bang before discovering the wreckage. They found human remains so badly damaged they were unrecognizable, according to accounts provided to the Associated Press.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority initially reported 12 people aboard the aircraft, though the airline’s preliminary report confirmed 11 total occupants. Some confusion also arose regarding the timing, with the Ministry of Transport later stating in a separate release that the crash occurred at 8:35 a.m. local time, contradicting the earlier 5:30 a.m. timeline provided by county officials.
The doomed flight had departed from Diani, a popular coastal town along the Indian Ocean known for its white sand beaches and resort amenities. The passengers were traveling to witness the wildlife spectacle at Maasai Mara National Reserve, which draws large numbers of international visitors annually to observe the famous wildebeest migration from Tanzania’s Serengeti.
Tourism remains a vital component of Kenya’s economy, with the country’s coastline and safari destinations attracting visitors from around the world. The reserve ranks among Kenya’s most celebrated natural attractions, and small aircraft frequently transport tourists between coastal areas and inland game parks.
Concerns about aviation safety persist in Kenya, with the latest safety oversight audit listed by the International Civil Aviation Organization dating back to 2018. The assessment concluded that the nation’s ability to investigate aviation accidents was below the global standard.
Tuesday’s crash marks the second deadly aviation incident in Kenya in recent months. In August, a small plane operated by the medical charity Amref went down on the outskirts of Nairobi, resulting in the deaths of six people and leaving two others injured.
Government agencies remained at the crash site conducting recovery operations and gathering evidence to determine what caused the aircraft to go down. The investigation will examine whether weather conditions, mechanical failure, or other factors contributed to the accident that claimed 11 lives during what should have been a routine tourist flight to one of Africa’s premier wildlife viewing destinations.
