DR Congo: Many dead as plane crashes into homes

2019-11-24 16:04:41

At least 24 people have died after a passenger plane crashed into houses in Goma city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, local officials say. Residents on the ground, including four family members, were among the victims. The small aircraft went down in the Mapendo neighbourhood after "missing" its take-off from the city's airport on Sunday morning, North Kivu regional governor Nzanzu Kasivita said. The officials say 17 passengers and two crew members were on board the plane. Air accidents are relatively frequent in DR Congo amid lax safety standards and poor maintenance, and all the country's commercial carriers are banned from operating in the European Union.