By Kennedy Nalyanya
A chartered light aircraft with 12 people on board crashed in Kwale County on Tuesday morning, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has confirmed. The plane, identified as registration number 5Y-CCA, was reportedly transporting tourists when the accident occurred.
The aircraft was on a domestic route, having departed from Diani on Kenya's South Coast, and was destined for Kichwa Tembo in the Maasai Mara, a popular safari destination for international and local visitors.
The crash site has been identified by local reports as the Tsimba-Matuga area, Matuga Constituency, in Kwale County.
Following the tragic accident, government agencies, including security officers and crash investigators, were immediately deployed to the remote scene to begin rescue and recovery operations.
KCAA Director General Emile Arao released a statement confirming the incident and the number of people on board. The authority stated that teams are on the ground "trying to establish the cause of the accident and its impact."
Initial reports from the crash site, as relayed by local police to Kenyan media, suggest a devastating outcome, with claims that the aircraft was burnt to ashes. Kwale County Police Commander Abdillahi Alio confirmed the incident, stating that the plane "bursts into flames" shortly after take-off. The exact number of casualties is yet to be officially confirmed by the agencies on the ground.
The weather at the time of the crash has been cited by some sources as potentially harsh, which may be hindering the ongoing rescue and recovery efforts at the site
The Diani-Kichwa Tembo route is a vital link in Kenya's tourism circuit, connecting the pristine beaches of the South Coast with the world-renowned wildlife reserves of the Maasai Mara. This incident has cast a shadow over the usually busy air traffic that facilitates the movement of visitors across Kenya's key attractions. The aircraft is believed to have been a Caravan plane, typically used for shuttling tourists to safari destinations.
Add comment
Comments