Congo Hit by Twin Tragedies as Plane Crash Kills 13, More Than 40 Missing in Boat Disaster
The Democratic Republic of Congo has been struck by two separate transport tragedies within days, with a military plane crash killing 13 people and more than 40 others reported missing after a passenger boat sank on Lake Tanganyika.
The plane crash occurred on Friday in Kenge, Kwango Province, after the aircraft developed a technical problem while travelling from Kikwit to the capital, Kinshasa.
According to Kwango Vice Governor Remy Saki Bokinda, the crew attempted to land in Kenge but the area had no suitable landing strip. The aircraft subsequently crashed into a residential compound.
All those aboard were killed, Bokinda said. Twelve victims were burned beyond recognition, while the pilot’s body was found outside the wreckage.
Among those killed were senior military personnel, including General Likulia Bakumi, the army’s auditor general, as well as a major and a captain. Civilians were also among the passengers.
Congo’s aviation accident investigation authority has opened a probe into the crash as authorities work to establish the precise circumstances surrounding the incident.
The air disaster came as another transport tragedy was unfolding on Lake Tanganyika.
A passenger boat carrying 84 people, including 12 crew members, sank on Thursday, leaving more than 40 people missing as of Friday, according to Tanganyika Province Transport Minister Norris Mulongoy.
Forty-three people were reported among the survivors, including three children and four Tanzanian nationals. Authorities had not yet disclosed what caused the vessel to sink. (Internazionale)
Boat transport remains a major means of movement in many rural parts of Congo, where poor road networks leave communities heavily dependent on waterways. Reuters noted that many vessels are outdated and accidents are frequent.
The two incidents have brought renewed attention to transport safety in a country where both air and water routes remain vital to movement across vast and difficult terrain.
For the families affected, the statistics tell only part of the story. In Kenge, relatives are mourning those killed in the aircraft crash, while on Lake Tanganyika, families are still waiting for news of people who remain missing.
