Military aircraft crash in DR Congo kills 14, including two generals

10:42

By: Azzat Manal

Military aircraft crash in DR Congo kills 14, including two generals

At least 14 people have been killed after a military transport aircraft crashed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo while travelling from the southwestern province of Kwilu toward the capital, Kinshasa, according to Congolese authorities.

The Congolese army said two senior military officers were among those who died. They were identified as Lieutenant General Mutombo Katalay Tende, head of the military court, and Lieutenant General Bakumi Likulia, inspector general of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Army spokesman Major General Sylvain Ekenge said 12 other members of the delegation and aircraft crew were also killed, bringing the reported death toll to 14.

According to Kwilu Deputy Governor Rémy Saki, the aircraft had departed from Kikwit and developed a technical problem during the flight. The pilot reportedly attempted to make an emergency landing in Kenge, but the town did not have a runway meeting the requirements for the aircraft.

Saki said the aircraft flew over the area several times while the crew searched for a suitable place to land before the plane crashed in a residential area. Local authorities reported no civilian casualties in the surrounding community.

The impact triggered a fire that severely damaged the aircraft. The pilot’s body was reportedly found outside the wreckage, while the condition of the other victims made identification more difficult.

The Congolese Bureau of Investigation and Accident Prevention (BPEA) has opened an investigation into the circumstances of the crash. Investigators have arrived at the scene and are working to locate the aircraft’s flight recorders, which could provide important information about the final moments of the flight.

The investigation will also examine the reported technical problem, the attempted emergency landing and the aircraft’s flight path before the crash. Authorities have asked the operator to provide an official accident report, the passenger manifest and the name of the pilot, while local civilian and military authorities have been instructed to preserve evidence at the crash site.

According to the Congolese Press Agency, the aircraft was operated by Tracep Congo Aviation and was carrying 13 passengers and four crew members according to the official passenger list. The discrepancy between the listed occupants and the reported death toll is expected to be clarified as investigators establish the full circumstances of the accident.

The crash comes as the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to rely on air transport to connect its vast territory, where road infrastructure can make travel between major cities and remote areas difficult. The findings of the aviation investigation are expected to provide further information on the cause of the accident and whether technical, operational or other factors contributed to the crash.