Two British travellers were among eight people killed in a plane crash in Botswana.
A British pilot died in the accident, along with seven tourists from Britain, France and Sweden, according to reports. Four other people, two from France and two from Botswana, survived.
The charter plane in which they were travelling crashed after take off near an airstrip in north Botswana’s Okavango Delta on Friday. A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said that relatives of the two Britons had been contacted and offered consular assistance.
Botswana’s Civil Aviation Authority said the plane was a Cessna 208 operated by Moremi Air. The air charter company’s chief executive Sue Smart said the pilot was its most experienced with more than 12,000 hours of flying, according to reports.
The safari air transfer firm has grounded its fleet while an investigation takes place, she said. “We are lost for words, for condolence for the families of the deceased and the pilot’s family.”