Plane crash in DR Congo kills at least 17

A Congolese army aircraft en route from Kikwit to the capital Kinshasa developed a technical fault on Friday and attempted an emergency landing in Kenge, in Kwango province, officials said. With no landing strip available, the plane crashed into a residential plot and caught fire after impact. Authorities later brought the wreckage fire under control and revised the death toll.

Deputy governor Remy Saki Bokinda told reporters that initial reports of 13 fatalities were increased after recovery teams extinguished the blaze and discovered additional bodies, bringing the total to 16 adults and one infant. The military confirmed that two senior officers were among those killed: Lieutenant General Joseph Mutombo, who served as first president of the High Military Court, and Lieutenant General Lucien-Rene Likulia, the army’s auditor general.

The president’s office said President Felix Tshisekedi ordered competent authorities to carry out a full investigation to determine the precise circumstances and causes of the accident, and extended condolences to the victims’ families and to the security forces. The army described the two generals as travelling on an official mission.

The crash occurred in a country that has experienced decades of conflict, particularly in eastern regions where multiple armed groups vie for control of mineral-rich areas. The Congolese military has been engaged in operations against armed groups that have seized key cities since last year, adding to the broader security challenges the government faces.