Tourist Plane Crashes in Kenya, Killing 11 Tourists and Pilot
NAIROBI, Kenya – October 28, 2025 – A domestic flight carrying tourists to one of Kenya’s most famous game reserves crashed Tuesday morning, killing all 12 people on board, according to authorities.
The aircraft, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan operated by Mombasa Air Safari, went down in the forested Tsimba Golini area of the Shimba Hills shortly after taking off from Diani Airport in Kwale County. The flight was en route to the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) confirmed the accident in a press release, stating that the aircraft, with registration 5Y-CCA, crashed at 05:30 Zulu time with 12 persons on board.
Rescue teams faced significant challenges reaching the remote and forested crash site. Initial reports from the scene indicate there were no survivors. The passenger manifest included eight Hungarian and two German tourists, along with the Kenyan pilot.
“The aircraft had 12 persons on board. Government agencies are already on site to establish the cause of the accident and its impact,” said Emile N. Arao, Director General of the KCAA.
The authority has launched a full investigation to determine the cause of the crash, with possible factors being examined including mechanical failure, weather conditions, and other flight-related issues. The incident casts a shadow over Kenya’s vital tourism industry, which relies on domestic air safaris to connect visitors to its renowned national parks.
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