Congo, Sep 28: A horrific air tragedy has occurred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in Central Africa. At least 17 people, including two senior Lieutenant Generals and a child, lost their lives after a military aircraft crashed into a residential area in the town of Kenge, in Kwango province, and burst into flames.
How did the incident occur?
A Congolese military aircraft, en route from the city of Kikwit to the capital, Kinshasa, developed a serious technical fault mid-flight. The pilots immediately attempted an emergency landing near Kenge. However, due to the absence of a suitable runway or landing strip, the aircraft lost control and crashed directly onto buildings in the residential neighborhood. The impact caused the plane to catch fire, and it burned fiercely at the crash site.
Details of casualties:
Initially, it was reported that 13 people had died. The death toll rose to 17 after rescue personnel extinguished the fire and cleared the wreckage. Kwango Deputy Governor Remy Saki Bokinda has confirmed the recovery of the bodies of 16 adults and one innocent child.
Two high-ranking officials from the Congolese military justice system lost their lives in the accident: Lieutenant General Mutombo Katalay Tiende Joseph and Lieutenant General Likulia Bakumi Lucien Rene.
The country’s President, Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi, expressed deep shock over the incident and paid heartfelt tribute to the senior officers and civilians who lost their lives while serving the nation. He has ordered a full-scale military investigation into the technical failure of the aircraft and any lapses during the emergency landing attempt.
Concerns over the safety of aging aircraft: Aviation safety standards in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been poor for years. The frequent use of aging, poorly maintained Soviet-era cargo and military transport aircraft is a primary cause of such accidents. European Union Ban: Most commercial and transport airlines from the DRC have been blacklisted from flying in European Union (EU) airspace due to poor management and violations of safety standards.
Major Setback for the Judiciary: The simultaneous deaths of the President of the High Military Court and the Auditor General have dealt a significant blow to national security and to military legal proceedings against rebels.