TWO people have been killed in a mid-air smash after a passenger plane crashed into another aircraft in Kenya.

       The tourist plane carrying 44 passengers managed to stay airborne after the mid-air smash with a single-engine training aircraft above the Nairobi National Park.

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       The plane crashed above the Nairobi National Park in Kenya Credit: Handout 4

       The passenger plane had 44 people onboard including five crew Credit: Handout 4

       The plane crashed into a smaller aircraft Credit: Handout

       But the smaller plane was sent spiralling back to the ground - crashing and killing both the pilot and student on board.

       The passenger plane was heading to the tourist resort town of Diani before the horror smash.

       The tragedy struck around 9.45 local time (06.45 GMT) when the aircraft, a Dash 8 operated by Safarilink Aviation collided with the smaller plane.

       The crew had reported hearing a loud bang noise shortly after take-off from Wilson Airport and decided to head back, according to the airline.

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       A police report said the Dash 8 collided with a single-engine Cessna 172 operated by 99 Flying School with two people on board, who were in a training session.

       Local airline Safarilink said passengers on its plane bound for the coastal resort of Diani were unharmed.

       "I can confirm a student and a trainer (on the training aircraft) ... died during the incident," a Nairobi county police commander said.

       An investigation into the cause of the crash has been launched by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCCA).

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       There were two people onboard the Cessna that crashed during training session Credit: Handout