KWALE: A small aircraft en route to the Maasai Mara National Reserve crashed early Tuesday morning off the coast of Kwale County, killing all 12 people on board, officials confirmed.

According to authorities, the Cessna Caravan aircraft went down in a mountainous, forested area about 40 kilometers from the Diani airstrip, just minutes after takeoff.

The plane reportedly caught fire upon impact, leaving charred wreckage scattered across the crash site.

The Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said 12 people were aboard the aircraft, though it has not yet been confirmed how many were passengers and how many were crew members.

An investigation into the cause of the crash is currently underway.

Local witnesses said they heard a loud explosion and later discovered the burnt remains of the plane.

Emergency responders arrived at the remote location shortly after to secure the site and recover bodies.

Mombasa Air Safari, the airline operating the flight, stated that it is fully cooperating with the civil aviation regulator and that further updates will be issued by relevant authorities as the probe continues.

The Maasai Mara National Reserve, one of Kenya’s top tourist destinations, attracts thousands of visitors annually, particularly during the wildebeest migration season from the Serengeti in Tanzania.