A pilot and three German passengers have died after a light aircraft crashed near Namibia’s Sossusvlei tourist area, the charter company confirmed on Monday.

The wreckage of the Cessna 210 was located at approximately 09:15 on Monday morning, with no survivors found at the scene. The aircraft had been missing since Sunday.

Desert Air CEO Willem de Wet confirmed the deaths and said the company had informed next of kin. “We extend our deepest and most sincere condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of those who lost their lives in this tragic accident,” he said.

The aircraft had departed from a private runway near Hosea Kutako international airport, bound for a private lodge in the Sossusvlei area. The region is known for its distinctive ochre-coloured sand dunes and the white salt and clay pan where dead Namib Desert trees stand preserved.

Desert Air said an investigation into the cause of the crash is under way.

Sossusvlei remains one of Namibia’s most popular tourist destinations, particularly among German visitors. The country’s tourist ministry estimates that approximately 110 000 German tourists visited Namibia in 2024, representing the largest contingent of visitors after those from southern Africa.

Namibia was a German colony until 1915.