Prince William has revealed a close friend of his and Kate Middleton's has been tragically killed along with his son in a plane crash.
Pilot Mark Jenkins was "a man we all loved and admired", the future King said, in a tweet sent from the Prince and Princess of Wales' official Twitter account.
Mark and his son Peter were flying over Tsavo National Park in Kenya when their plane came down over the conservation area.
Officials said the pair were in a Cessna sky wagon fixed-wing aircraft, which crashed at 11am on Thursday.
The friends first met on William's gap year and have met-up a number of times since. The conservationist followed the royal's work with charity Tusk.
Mr Jenkins was a popular Kenya Wildlife Service warden with a love for flying, committed to protecting wildlife in east Africa.
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."
An investigation has been launched after the sudden crash.
It has been reported that they were trying to drive cows, camels and goats out of the park when the incident happened.
This morning, there were unconfirmed claims the plane was shot at from the ground.
The National Park has previously seen conflict between authorities and herders.
But 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.
"Mark was a devoted husband and father and leaves behind his wife, and his son.
"Our deepest condolences go to his family, who tragically lost two beloved family members, to their friends, and to all conservationists who knew Mark and worked with him. Our heartfelt condolences go also to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the NGO for which Mark did yesterday’s patrol flight."
