By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Thirteen people were on Friday feared dead when a military plane crashed in Democratic Republic of Congo, an official said.
Among those who lost their lives include, three army officers.
The plane according to sources was travelling to the capital, Kinshasa, from the southwestern city of Kikwit when it experienced a technical problem and attempted to land in Kenge, in Kwango province, the Kwango vice governor, Remy Saki Bokinda said.
“With no landing strip available in Kenge, the plane crashed into a residential plot,” he said.
The passengers included General Likulia Bakumi, the army’s auditor general, as well as a major, a captain and other military personnel and civilians, Bokinda said.
“All those on board died; 12 were burned beyond recognition, while the pilot’s lifeless body was found outside the aircraft,” he said.
Congo’s aviation accident investigation authority is launching investigation into the cause of the crash, a government statement said.
Congo’s army suffered significant setbacks last year at the hands of Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebels who seized large swathes of the east.
