A minimum of 12 individuals aboard a light plane are believed to have been killed when the aircraft crashed in the Tsimba Golini region of Kwale County, Kenya, on Tuesday morning. Local media says the victims are largely tourists.

The plane, 5Y-CCA, had taken off from the tourist destination of Diani along the coast and was headed for the Kichwa Tembo tourist zone when it crashed about 8:30 local time (0530Z).

Incident confirmed by authorities

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) confirmed the disaster in a statement, citing the flight route and registration. The airline operating the flights is one that has a specialty in flights that serve to connect coastal cities such as Mombasa to major tourist destinations in Kenya, including the world-famous Maasai Mara and Nairobi.

Police and paramedics rushed to the scene of the crash immediately. Video footage of the scene indicated that the plane was ablaze, with wreckage widespread across the scene.

Cause of Crash Under Investigation

Authorities are yet to determine the cause of the crash as they initiate a full probe. Initial speculations indicate that bad visibility and hostile weather conditions in the region were possible contributing factors to the accident.

More information on the identities of the victims and the details of the investigation is pending.