A close friend of Prince William and Kate Middleton was sadly died in a plane crash, the prince has disclosed.
When their aircraft crashed, the pilot, Mark Jenkins, and his son Peter were flying above Kenya’s Tsavo National Park.
According to officials, the couple was in a fixed-wing Cessna Sky Wagon when it crashed on Thursday at 11 a.m.
Mr. Jenkins was a well-liked Kenya Wildlife Service warden who had a passion for flying and was dedicated to safeguarding the region’s wildlife.
William said in a statement tonight: “Yesterday, I lost a friend, who dedicated his life to protecting wildlife in some of East Africa’s most renowned national parks.
“Mark Jenkins, and his son Peter, were tragically killed when flying over Tsavo National Park while conducting an aerial patrol.
“Tonight, I’m thinking about Mark’s wife, family and colleagues who’ve sadly lost a man we all loved and admired.”
Bit it is too early to know the cause of the crash, officials said in the statement.
“KWKenya Wildlife Service and David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) teams are at the scene to investigate the circumstances of the crash,” it read.
“KWS wishes to express our deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of the deceased.”
A tribute by the Frankfurt Zoological Society said: “Mark was a lifelong conservationist and experienced bush pilot, who dedicated his career to protecting wildlife in some of East Africa’s most renowned national parks.
“Passionate, principled, and strong-willed, Mark was never afraid to speak his mind and stand for what he believed in.
“He was a commanding presence and made an indelible impression wherever he went.
“Those of us who worked alongside him remember him for his determination, thoughtfulness, his energy, his mischievous smile, and his deep love of wildlife and wild places.
“We will miss his warmth, his hilarious stories, and his sometimes rather irreverent comments which always made us smile.”
