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British pilot and seven tourists die, four others survive as aircraft crashes after take-off. The plane crashed near an airstrip in the Okavanga Delta, a popular tourism area, after take-off near an airstrip in north Botswana’s Okavango Delta on Friday.
The Associated Press reported that a British pilot and seven tourists from Britain, France and Sweden died while four others, two from France and two from Botswana, survived.
It quoted spokesman Modipe Nkwe from Botswana’s civil aviation authority as saying the plane was a Cessna 208 operated by Moremi Air charter company.
A Foreign Office spokesman said the families of the Britons had been contacted and offered consular assistance. He could not confirm any details of the crash or the identities of those killed
In a statement on its website, Botswana’s civil aviation authority said the Cessna 208 was carrying nine passengers and two crew.
According to reports, Moremi Air chief executive Sue Smart said the pilot was the company’s most experienced, with more than 12,000 hours of flying. She said the company had chosen to ground its fleet while an investigation is under way.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
