Two die as aircraft crashes in Kenyan National Park

Nairobi. Two people died on Thursday morning after a light aircraft crashed at Huri area in Kenya’s Tsavo National Park.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) confirmed that the aircraft crashed in Kone area along the Tiva in Tsavo East National Park, on Thursday morning.

The plane, a Cessna 185 registration number 5Y-DHS, belonged to David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) and it crashed at around 7.15am while on patrol in Huri – the north eastern boundary of the park.

Among the deceased are believed to be a father and his son, whose names are yet to be disclosed.

Roan Hartley, a pilot member of the DSWT and a relative to the two confirmed the incident, noting the two were his cousins.

"Sadly it was my two cousins," he said.

Mr Hartley noted that the Trust will issue a comprehensive statement in due time.

DSWT had earlier been involved in the rescue of a three-year-old child that went missing in the Kone area for six days.

KWS and DSWT teams are at the scene to investigate the probable cause of the accident.