Plane crash in DR Congo kills more than a dozen | Aviation News
Congolese Army Plane Crash Claims 14 Lives, Including Senior Officials
KENGA, Democratic Republic of the Congo (AP) — At least 14 individuals, including senior military officials, were killed on Friday when a Congolese army plane crashed in a residential area in the Kwango province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The aircraft was en route from Kikwit to the capital, Kinshasa, when it encountered technical difficulties and attempted to make an emergency landing in Kenge, according to Remy Saki Bokinda, deputy governor of Kwango. However, due to the absence of a suitable landing strip, the plane crashed into a residential plot.
Military spokesperson Major-General Efomi Ekenge confirmed the fatalities, stating that “all those on board died; 12 were burned beyond recognition, while the pilot’s lifeless body was found outside the aircraft.”
The victims included civilians and members of an official delegation accompanying two generals, along with additional military personnel. Bokinda added that most bodies were severely burned, complicating identification efforts.
Authorities have initiated an investigation to ascertain the cause of the incident.
The DRC, a geographically vast country rich in mineral resources, has a history marked by conflict, particularly along its eastern border with Rwanda, where various armed groups vie for control of lucrative mining areas. The Congolese military has been engaged in ongoing battles with rebel factions that have seized key territories since last year.
