DR Congo plane carrying 18 people crashes into town

Site of Crash of plane in DR CongoImage copyright
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Image caption

People gathered at the scene of the crash attempting to help any survivors

A plane with at least 16 passengers and two crew has crashed into homes in Goma city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

North Kivu regional governor Nzanzu Kasivita Carly said there had been deaths, but did not give a number.

The plane crashed into houses in the Mapendo neighbourhood after “missing” its take-off from the city’s international airport, he added.

The Dornier-228 aircraft was owned by private carrier Busy Bee.

It was supposed to fly to Beni, 350km (220 miles) north of Goma, when it came down about a minute after take-off, a source at Goma airport told the BBC.

Air accidents are relatively frequent in DR Congo, amid lax safety standards and poor maintenance. All the country’s commercial carriers are banned from operating in the European Union.

The BBC has contacted Busy Bee for comment.

source: bbc.com