A Cessna Caravan aircraft carrying foreign tourists to one of Kenya’s most celebrated wildlife destinations crashed in heavy rain on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, killing all 11 people aboard, including eight Hungarians, two Germans, and a Kenyan pilot. The plane burst into flames shortly after takeoff from Diani, a coastal resort town known for its white sand beaches along the Indian Ocean.
The Mombasa Air Safari flight departed early Tuesday morning bound for Kichwa Tembo, a private airstrip inside Maasai Mara National Reserve. The aircraft went down at approximately 5:30 a.m. local time in a hilly, forested area roughly 25 miles from the departure point, according to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.
The pilot failed to communicate with the airport control tower after departure. Controllers attempted to reach him for 30 minutes before locating the wreckage in Kwale County’s coastal region. Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion followed by flames, arriving at the scene to find charred debris and human remains that were no longer recognizable.
Kwale County Commissioner Stephen Orinde confirmed to reporters that all passengers were foreign tourists. Orinde indicated that investigations into the crash were ongoing, but suggested that weather may have played a role. “The weather is not very good here at the moment. Since early in the morning, it has been raining and it is very misty, but we cannot preempt the findings,” he told the BBC.
Heavy rain had been falling across coastal Kenya throughout the morning hours. The aircraft was traveling from the tropical beach resort area to the reserve located west of the coastline, a journey that typically takes two hours by direct flight. The Maasai Mara attracts large numbers of international visitors who come to observe the annual wildebeest migration, when hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles cross from Tanzania’s Serengeti.
Mombasa Air Safari Chairman John Cleave confirmed the nationalities of those killed in a company statement. The airline expressed that its primary focus remained on providing support to the affected families. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority initially reported 12 people had been aboard but later confirmed the correct count as 11.
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó confirmed that among the eight Hungarian victims, there was a family including two children, and noted that the Hungarian consul would travel to Kenya to assist. The Kenyan Transport Ministry also announced that the formal investigation is expected to last about 30 days, and officials said access to some remains is being delayed by heavy rain and difficult terrain at the crash site.
The aircraft’s registration number was 5Y-CCA. Investigators found the plane’s wreckage completely burned, with debris scattered across the crash site approximately 25 miles from Diani airstrip. Officials indicated they would need time to thoroughly examine the scene and determine the exact sequence of events leading to the tragedy.
Kenya’s aviation safety record has come under scrutiny in recent years. According to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s most recent safety oversight audit for Kenya, posted in 2018, the country fell below the global average in accident investigation capabilities. The audit findings raised concerns about the nation’s ability to properly examine and learn from aviation incidents.
The crash marks the second major aviation disaster in Kenya this year. In August, a Cessna Citation 560 ambulance aircraft operated by medical charity Amref crashed on the outskirts of Nairobi, killing six people and injuring two others. That plane lost radio and radar contact with air traffic control just three minutes after takeoff from Wilson Airport, going down into a residential area and striking a home that killed two people on the ground.
Tourism represents a significant component of Kenya’s economy, with the Maasai Mara National Reserve serving as one of the country’s premier attractions. The reserve’s accessibility depends heavily on small aircraft that shuttle visitors between coastal resorts and inland destinations. The Kenyan coastline draws tourists from around the world seeking beach vacations before or after wildlife safari experiences in the country’s national parks and reserves.
Aviation authorities have not yet released preliminary findings about what caused Tuesday’s crash. The investigation will examine multiple factors, including weather conditions, mechanical systems, pilot communications, and flight path data. Mombasa Air Safari has committed to cooperating fully with civil aviation officials as they work to establish the cause.
The Ministry of Transport issued a statement acknowledging the incident, though there was initial confusion about timing, with the ministry reporting the crash occurred at 8:35 a.m. local time while other officials placed it at 5:30 a.m. The discrepancy remained unresolved as investigators continued their work at the remote crash site in Kwale’s forested hills.
