KWALE, Kenya — A tragic air accident has claimed twelve lives after a light aircraft carrying tourists crashed in the Tsimba-Matuga area of Matuga Constituency, Kwale County, on Tuesday morning.
According to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), the ill-fated aircraft — registration number 5Y-CCA — was en route from Diani to Kichwa Tembo in the Maasai Mara when it went down under still-unclear circumstances.
KCAA Director General Emile Arao confirmed the incident, stating that all twelve people on board perished. “The Authority has dispatched investigators to the crash site to determine the cause of the accident,” Arao said in a brief statement to the press.
Eyewitnesses reported that the plane appeared to struggle moments before impact, after which it erupted into flames, sending thick plumes of smoke into the air. A Citizen TV reporter at the scene described the wreckage as “completely destroyed,” with pieces of the fuselage scattered across a wide area.
Emergency responders, including security officers and officials from the Kenya Red Cross, quickly arrived at the site. Rescue and recovery operations are ongoing, though heavy rains and poor visibility have hampered access to the crash zone.
Photos circulating online show smouldering debris and responders working through the wreckage amid charred vegetation. Authorities have urged the public to avoid sharing unverified images or speculation as investigations proceed.
The identities and nationalities of the victims are yet to be officially confirmed, but sources indicate that several were foreign tourists.
This is one of the most devastating air accidents in Kenya in recent years, raising renewed concerns about aviation safety in the country’s busy tourism corridor.
Officials say a preliminary investigation report is expected within days, while a full inquiry could take weeks.
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