A Let L-410 flying from Kikwit to Kinshasa crashed Friday in Kenge, Kwango province, after a technical problem. The crew reportedly searched for a place to land before the aircraft caught fire.
Aircraft attempts to find a place to land
A Let L-410 aircraft crashed on Friday, September 25, in Kenge, the capital of Kwango province, while flying from Kikwit to Kinshasa.
According to Kwango Deputy Governor Rémy Saki, the aircraft experienced a problem while flying over Kenge. The pilot reportedly circled over the town several times while searching for a place to land.
The aircraft eventually crashed into a residential plot in the Manzau neighbourhood, in the Masikita commune, before catching fire. Local authorities said no people on the ground were killed in the accident.
No proper landing runway in Kenge
Initial information from local authorities indicates that Kenge did not have a runway suitable for an emergency landing.
The pilot therefore reportedly attempted to find an area where the aircraft could land after the technical problem occurred. The plane eventually crashed into a residential plot and was engulfed in flames.
The exact nature of the technical problem remains to be established. An investigation is expected to determine what happened on board before the crew attempted the emergency landing.
Death toll revised
An initial toll provided by provincial authorities reported 13 people on board, all of whom died. The pilot’s body was found outside the aircraft, while the other victims were severely affected by the fire.
The death toll was later revised upward. Deputy Governor Rémy Saki reported 17 deaths, while flight data cited by Actualité.cd indicated that 16 people were on board, including four crew members. The exact number of people aboard the aircraft still needs to be officially clarified.
Senior military officials among the victims
Among the victims was Lieutenant General Lucien-René Likulia Bakumi, Auditor General of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) attached to the High Military Court.
Lieutenant General Joseph Mutombo Katalay Tiende, First President of the High Military Court, was also among those on board, according to a mission order from the Defence Ministry cited by several Congolese media outlets.
The Congolese government confirmed that senior military justice officials and their accompanying personnel were returning from an official mission in Kikwit. President Félix Tshisekedi paid tribute to the victims and expressed his condolences to their families. The Defence Ministry is expected to provide further information about the circumstances of the crash.
Investigation expected
Recovery and identification operations were launched at the crash site. The Congolese Air Force was also deployed to the area.
Authorities still have to establish the exact circumstances of the accident, including the nature of the technical problem encountered during the flight, the conditions that led the crew to search for a landing site in Kenge, and the final number of people on board.
Sources: The DRC Council of Ministers report and provincial sources cited by Congolese media.