Here is some more info, apparently based on an AFP reporter's account: At least six people were killed when an aircraft operated by the UN mission in Democratic Republic of Congo crashed on landing at Kinshasa airport Monday, an AFP correspondent witnessed. The aircraft broke up into several pieces when it hit the runway in torrential rain as the pilot was trying to land shortly after 1300 GMT. At least six bodies were brought out of the wreckage.
At least 26 people were killed when a United Nations plane crashed on landing in heavy rain at Kinshasa airport Monday, a Congolese aviation offical said. The plane was operated by the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, called Monusco. By News Wires (text)
AP - A U.N. plane carrying staff members and peacekeepers crashed Monday upon landing at the airport in Congo’s capital, breaking into pieces and killing at least 26 people, a top Congolese aviation official said.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known, and six other people were injured in the crash.
“A crisis task force is working at the crash site,” U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said.
The top Congolese aviation official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to speak to the media, said the plane was traveling from Kinsangani to Kinshasa.
The U.N. mission in Congo, known as MONUSCO, includes more than 19,000 uniformed peacekeeping troops. The mission is charged with protecting civilians in the enormous Central African nation wracked by violence from a myriad of rebel groups and militias.
Few passable roads traverse Congo after decades of war and corrupt rule, forcing the country’s deeply impoverished people to rely on ill-maintained planes and boats to move around. Congo has one of the worst air safety records in the world. The Central African country’s safety regulations are notoriously lax.
The safety record in the DRC is shocking. This company's operation, however, would have been audited by the UN. The WFP uses the ICAO recommended procedures as base line for their audits. Standards would have been in place.
Perhaps this time the DRC is not entirely to blame.
"Airzena Georgian Airways" regrets to confirm an accident occurred at Kinshasa airport, capital of Democratic Republic of Congo on 4 April, 10 at 13:00 GMT.The flight was operated under UN mission by aircraft of type CRJ-100 enroute from Goma to Kinshasa. The landing was performed in adverse weather conditions. The aircraft sufferred crash landing, broke up into parts and caught fire. According to the currently available information crew and passengers died in the accident. The number is specified. The accident is being investigated officially to determine its possible cause. "Airzena GeorgianAirways" is deeply shocked about the accident and expresses its condolences to the family members of the perished
According to Reuters, the survivor was a Congolese journalist.
Quote:
KINSHASA, April 5 (Reuters) - The sole survivor of a United Nations plane that crashed killing 32 whilst trying to land in Congo's capital Kinshasa on Monday said the plane was pummelled by strong winds in the moments before it went down.
Francis Mwamba, a Congolese journalist, had been returning from a reporting trip in the troubled east of the country, he told journalists from his hospital bed in Kinshasa on Tuesday, where he remains in intensive care.
The system with TS was moving from FZEA ( Mbandaka ) to the south-west and we got hit by TS's in FCBB at around 13:00 so thats the time they crashed. That day we were supposed to fly from FCBB to Kinshasha and then the way up north to Bangui ( FEFF ) with the fuel stop in FZEA. FZEA is the only place we can get fuel on the way to Bangui and there was no way getting there through the stormy weather so we canceled the flight.
