Two senior military officers and 12 members of a delegation were among those killed when a plane crashed while returning to Kinshasa
A plane crash in southwestern Congo killed 14 people, including two senior army generals, after the aircraft reportedly encountered a technical problem while returning to Kinshasa.
Kinshasa: A plane crash in southwestern Congo has killed 14 people, including two senior military officers, according to the Congolese army. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The military confirmed that Lieutenant General Mutombo Katalayi Tiende, head of the military court, and Lieutenant General Bakumi Likulia, auditor general of the armed forces, were among those killed.
Congolese army spokesperson Major General Efomi Ekenge said the two generals, along with 12 members of a delegation and the aircraft crew, died in the crash.
Congo Plane Crashed While Returning To Kinshasa
According to local authorities, the aircraft was returning to Kinshasa from Kikwit in southwestern Congo when it crashed in the Kenge area. The aircraft reportedly encountered a technical problem before the crash. Authorities said there were no survivors among those on board.
However, Griffon Kin-Kie Mulumba, chairman of the board of Congo’s Civil Aviation Authority, said the exact cause of the accident had not yet been established.
An investigation is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the crash and determine what caused the aircraft to go down.
Congo Army Continues Operations Against Rebel Groups
The crash comes as the Congolese army continues military operations against several armed groups in the eastern part of the country.
One of the groups involved is the M23 rebel group, which has been involved in prolonged fighting with government forces. The conflict has led to major territorial changes in parts of eastern Congo, with several cities coming under rebel control during successive offensives.
Authorities are expected to investigate the aircraft crash separately from the ongoing military operations to establish the circumstances that led to the deaths of the 14 people on board.
