flyboy2
22nd Oct 2010, 04:52
2010-10-21 15:27
Bukavu - A Filipino pilot and his Congolese co-pilot were killed Thursday when their cargo plane crashed near Bukavu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, an airport source said.
The plane, a Let-410 of Czech manufacture, crashed near Bugulumisa, 30 km from Bukavu, five minutes after take-off, said the source, who asked not to be named.
The aircraft, owned by the private Congolese company Tracep, was heading from Bukavu to Shabunda, 180 km to the west, carrying 1.5 tonnes of food and other goods, with only the pilot and co-pilot on board, the source added.
Air accidents are frequent in the DRC and all Congolese airlines - out of 50 that have been listed - are banned from flying in the airspace of the European Union.
Many aircraft are old and badly maintained, and often overloaded when they are cargo planes. The failure to respect security regulations also causes accidents, along with bad weather.
The last accident was on August 25 at Bandundu in the west, where 20 of the 21 people on board the plane were killed. The dead included the Belgian owner of the air company, who was flying the aircraft himself, which was also a Let-410.
- AFP
Source:DRC plane crash kills 2: News24: Africa: News (http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/DRC-plane-crash-kills-2-20101021)
Bukavu - A Filipino pilot and his Congolese co-pilot were killed Thursday when their cargo plane crashed near Bukavu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, an airport source said.
The plane, a Let-410 of Czech manufacture, crashed near Bugulumisa, 30 km from Bukavu, five minutes after take-off, said the source, who asked not to be named.
The aircraft, owned by the private Congolese company Tracep, was heading from Bukavu to Shabunda, 180 km to the west, carrying 1.5 tonnes of food and other goods, with only the pilot and co-pilot on board, the source added.
Air accidents are frequent in the DRC and all Congolese airlines - out of 50 that have been listed - are banned from flying in the airspace of the European Union.
Many aircraft are old and badly maintained, and often overloaded when they are cargo planes. The failure to respect security regulations also causes accidents, along with bad weather.
The last accident was on August 25 at Bandundu in the west, where 20 of the 21 people on board the plane were killed. The dead included the Belgian owner of the air company, who was flying the aircraft himself, which was also a Let-410.
- AFP
Source:DRC plane crash kills 2: News24: Africa: News (http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/DRC-plane-crash-kills-2-20101021)