At least 17 people, including two senior military generals, have been killed after a Congolese army aircraft crashed in southwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The aircraft was travelling from Kikwit to the capital, Kinshasa, on Friday when it developed a technical problem and attempted an emergency landing in Kenge, Kwango Province.
However, the aircraft crashed into a residential plot after no suitable landing strip was available in Kenge, according to Kwango Deputy Governor Remy Saki Bokinda. The aircraft caught fire upon impact.
Saki Bokinda said on Saturday that the death toll had risen from an initial 13 to 17 after rescue workers brought the fire under control and recovered more bodies.
“We discovered 16 bodies of adults and the body of a baby, bringing the total to 17,” he said.
The Congolese army confirmed that two generals on an official mission were among those killed. They were Lieutenant General Joseph Mutombo, first president of the High Military Court, and Lieutenant General Lucien-Rene Likulia, the military’s auditor general.
President Felix Tshisekedi directed the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances and cause of the crash.
The president also expressed condolences to the victims’ families and members of the security forces.
According to the deputy governor, the aircraft was operated by Tracep Congo Aviation.
Following the crash, the Transport Ministry suspended the company’s operations nationwide pending the conclusion of an investigation by the Permanent Bureau of Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation.
The crash occurred as the DRC continues to grapple with prolonged insecurity, particularly in its eastern region, where armed groups have been fighting for control of territory and mineral-rich areas.
(Aljazeera)
