A military aircraft crashed into a residential property in western Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday, killing all 13 people on board, including three senior army officers, a provincial official said.
The aircraft was travelling from the southwestern city of Kikwit to the capital, Kinshasa, when it developed a technical problem, according to Remy Saki Bokinda, vice governor of Kwango province.
The pilot attempted to make an emergency landing in Kenge, but the aircraft crashed into a residential plot after failing to find a suitable landing strip.
Among those killed was General Likulia Bakumi, the army’s auditor general, along with a major, a captain and other military personnel and civilians.
Bokinda confirmed that there were no survivors, saying 12 victims had been burned beyond recognition, while the pilot’s body was discovered outside the wreckage.
The circumstances surrounding the technical failure remain unclear.
Congo’s aviation accident investigation authority has launched an investigation to establish the cause of the crash, according to a government statement.
The incident comes as Congo’s armed forces continue to face security challenges, particularly in the country’s east, where Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebels seized large areas of territory during a major offensive last year.
