Crash in Kisangani DRC
 

Sky news reports 53 killed in a crash in Kisangani in DRC. Apparently 112 were on board.

A plane carrying 112 people crashed on Friday as it tried to land at Kisangani international airport in Democratic Republic of Congo, Congolese airline Hewa Bora said.

Separately, government spokesman Lambert Mende said he had been told that rescue services had pulled 40 survivors from the wreckage of the Boeing 727.

"The pilot tried to land but apparently they didn't touch the runway," Stavros Papaioannou, chief executive of Hewa Bora airline, told Reuters by telephone.

"I have no details on casualties," he said.

Hewa Bora is on a European Union list of airlines banned due to security concerns, as are all carriers certified in the central African country which has one of the worst air transport security records in the world.

They should ban planes from taking off in that country period! World blacklist!

Think Hewa Bora Airlines had the 2008 DC-9 crash as well. Don't think they're a Star Alliance member in the making somehow..

Sad news, and probably preventable.

Isn't it ironic that if this had happened on any other continent on the planet, it would have been headline news for days. I don't suppose that it will prompt much of a change in the DRC though when all is said and done.

SHJ
 

Hate to say this but you're right!

silence in the news
 

I have yet to hear one mention of this on the news in the US. It never ceases to amaze me how Africa just doesnt matter here.

Air traffic controllers arrested in kisangani, strike in kinshasa approach this morning

Funky stick
 

silence in the news
I have yet to hear one mention of this on the news in the US. It never ceases to amaze me how Africa just doesn't matter here.


I guess it is a bit like the UK's attitude towards scumbag drug addicts that infest every suburb and the residents ignor them.

Funkystick
 

I know man all what these people care about is themselves. Ask any american where DRC is, they will invariably answer something along the line of "is it in Asia or South America"??

The truth is, DRC doesn't feature, and why should it. Another cesspit monument to African politics. Who cares what happens there. Aluminum rains there nearly daily - not newsworthy anymore.

When America does concern itself with other countries' issues people moan - when they don't - people moan.

Decide what you want.

AdamFrisch

"Don't think they're a Star Alliance member in the making somehow.."

Egypt Air made it and their record is nothing to write home about.

I have been in there a couple of times and saw their 727s. They look nice on the outside, and the cabin looks nice, but of course they are very old...

Kisangani Airport seemed OK-not more difficult than most of the other airports we flew into....but the smoked whole monkey on a stick was not very nice!

First off, I think some people misunderstand Funkystick's comments...A quick search of Funky's post's will likely reveal a sincere interest in African Aviation...

As for the comment re: Most americans dont know where the DRC is, I do...

I've been there but never worked there...

BTW how many of any of us know where the DRC is vs the RC, or what if any is the difference?

Many of us "Yanks" are a lot more educated on "African" aviation than you think...

Oh...there's an idea...Think before posting...

Down in 3 greens, I think that you may have taken that a bit personally.
I have done my fair share of travelling around the states and met people who didnt even realise that "Canada went across the whole top of America"
A large portion of America wouldnt know where the DRC is. But I believe it would be the same as in any other country in the world outside of Africa.

lilflyboy262-

Your post is not very bright. Alaska and Hawaii are both part of the USA. Just out of curiosity what is the purpose of using quotes on the phrase "Canada went across the whole top of America?" Any third grader could tell you that statement is false but I'm wondering why you have it in quotes? Is that a popular phrase where you are from? You claim to have met many people who were not aware of this false fact. Was that a standard question you asked upon meeting people?

....

He meant that he thought Canada only covered on a small part of the border. He had no idea of how much of North America that Canada actually covered.
I have that quote it quotes because it came out of a persons mouth. Hence the quotation marks. I guess I should have said I met a person rather than people.

To answer your other question, no, I didnt ask what country covered their entire northern border (excluding Alaska) but we did bring up the conversation of where I was from (New Zealand), and a large portion of the university students that I met with had no idea where NZ is. I even had one ask me "Is that by Iraq?"
I realise that by the shear stupidity of that response that many will believe that its false. It was while I was staying in the girls dorm in Oklahoma.
Other responses ranged from near England to being part of Australia.

The Americans that would be arguing this point on this site tend to be the more educated bunch, hence would probably have a fair idea that the DRC is in Africa. Heck they may even be able to explain exactly where it is.

Again, I still point out that if I asked where the DRC was to a lot of high school kids in NZ, I'm fairly certain that a portion of them would have no idea where it was either.

But enough of the thread drift.

Actually I suppose on reflection that it's rather inaccurate to say that Alaska and Hawaii are part of the USA. That's rather similar to saying that Canada stretches across America. Hawaii and Alaska are States of the United States of America. Being a part of something, in the sense of that which has been quoted, implies a degree of contiguity which is lacking in this case. Many people know that the DRC stands for Democratic Republic of the Caribbean and is an island in the Caribbean Sea where the world's most resonant bongo drums are made using the penile skin from the Emperor Penguin stitched together as drum skins.

Cavortingcheetah,

Well I read your post and I have concluded that you are, in fact, wrong....Look up the definition of part. It is entirely accurate to state that Hawaii and Alaska are part of the USA. The original statement that I took exception to was the assertion that "Canada went across the whole top of America." That is just false unless you discount a large portion of America. There is no requirement for parts of a whole to be physically touching. It doesn't make sense to bend the facts in order to fit the "context" if his context is just plain incorrect.

This is a stupid argument but I found your reply ridiculous and just couldn't help myself. Or maybe you were being sarcastic in which case I apologize...:)

Ok laker, You are correct.
I'm sorry I was wrong. There are no Americans that do not know where other countries are and what countries are on their borders.

Considering what I posted was what came out of his mouth, the mistake is in his wording. Not mine.

But this arguement is far more important that why a 727 has crashed killing a bunch of people and not a word has been breathed overseas.

Amy Winehouse's death has had more media coverage than this.