The New Zealand victims of a Botswana plane crash were remembered at a memorial service in the tourist town of Maun overnight.
The local community, remaining members of the tour group and family members who had travelled over attended the event, New Zealand's Deputy High Commissioner in South Africa, Catherine Grant, said.
"The idea is that they take a bit of time out to work through as much of it as they can, it has been a bit of a shock as I'm sure you can imagine."
Five people, including three New Zealanders, were killed when a Cessna 206 plunged to the ground just before it was due to land.
The dead New Zealanders were Jeanette Margaret O'Sullivan, 26, of Gisborne, Paul Leo Winstanley, 25, of New Plymouth, and Evonne Marie Brennan, who had recently married a 28-year-old Queensland man who was also killed.
The South African pilot also died.
The Cessna went down on Tuesday in Maun, on the edge of Botswana's Okavango Delta.
The group was on a routine sightseeing flight for game spotting over the delta, which teems with wildlife and is a popular tourist attraction.
The tourists were part of a group of about 24 Australians, New Zealanders and Britons near the end of an overland truck safari from London, Ms Grant said.
"They're doing really well, they're all there for each other, which is wonderful, and they've been getting a lot of good support from the local people and professional counsellors."
She said the tour would move on after the service, but members wanted to delay their onward travel to remember their friends.
"I think it's a really important part of the grief process for the group itself to do that and to say goodbye to the people that died."
Ms Grant said the Botswana Government had sent a message of condolence and local authorities were offering assistance.
Investigators from Botswana's civil aviation authority were still investigating.
- NZPA
Memorial service held for Botswana plane crash victims
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