Botswana Plane Crash Update: 8 Foreign Tourists Killed

At least eight foreigners were killed when a small plane caught fire shortly after takeoff in remote northern Botswana.

The crash occurred Friday, Oct. 14 in the Okavango Delta, although at the time of the crash little information was known.

The chartered Cessna 208, operated by local Moremi Air, caught ablaze shortly after taking off from Xakanaka Airfield. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.

It is believed that there were 12 people aboard the plane, including the pilot.

There has been some confusion over the nationalities of the tourists, although Britain and France have both confirmed that they had citizens aboard. The pilot, who was also killed, is confirmed to be a British citizen.

It is now being reported that three French, two British, and three Swiss citizens were killed in the crash, although official reports are pending. Initially, it was reported that Swedish citizens were onboard, however it appears that there was confusion over accents between Swiss and Swedish. The Swedish government is currently investigating the reports.

Four people survived the crash, including two French citizens and two Botswana locals. Two were airlifted to neighboring Johannesburg, South Africa for treatment of burns and other injuries.

The French Foreign Ministry has said that one of its citizen's remains hospitalized in Johannesburg, although the injuries are not considered life threatening. The other French survivor has returned home.

Botswana's Monitor Newspaper interviewed one local survivor, Bernard Lottering, who said he was able to kick out the window of the plane and pull out his local colleague and two of the tourists.

Sue Smart, Moremi Air CEO, released a statement Monday expressing her condolences to the families of the passengers and pilot.

He was the company's General Manager, our most seasoned pilot with over 12,000 hours flying experience, Smart Said in a press release.

Smart also said that she has decided to ground the fleet in the following days to pay respect.

The plane was headed for the luxurious Safari Camp on Pom Pom Island, known for its elephants and exotic wildlife.