At least 14 people were reported killed after an aircraft carrying a Congolese military delegation crashed in Kenge on Friday, September 25. Two senior military justice officials were among the victims, while the FARDC has launched an investigation to establish the circumstances and exact cause of the accident.
Kenge crash
The aircraft went down in Kenge, the capital of Kwango province, while the delegation was returning from an official assignment in Kikwit toward Kinshasa. Provincial officials said the aircraft encountered trouble during the return journey and attempted to find a place to land before the crash. No deaths on the ground were initially reported.
Early reports about the number of people aboard differed, with local authorities and flight information producing varying figures. The Congolese military later confirmed the deaths of two senior officers and said other members of the delegation and crew also died. Authorities are continuing efforts to establish the complete circumstances surrounding the accident.
Army deaths
Among the victims were Lieutenant General Joseph Mutombo Katalayi Tiende, first president of the High Military Court, and Lieutenant General Lucien-René Likulia Bakumi, auditor general of the FARDC. Their deaths represent a major loss for the Democratic Republic of Congo’s military justice system.
The delegation also included other military personnel and civilians travelling as part of the official mission. The Congolese government paid tribute to those killed, while President Félix Tshisekedi expressed condolences to the victims’ families during a government meeting following the crash.
Kikwit route
Officials said the delegation had completed a service mission in Kikwit and was travelling back toward Kinshasa when the aircraft crashed at Kenge. The flight route connected areas in western DRC, with Kenge located between Kikwit and the capital.
Local authorities said the pilot appeared to be searching for a suitable location to make an emergency landing after a problem developed aboard the aircraft. The plane eventually came down on a property in Kenge and was badly damaged by the impact and subsequent fire.
FARDC probe
The FARDC announced that investigations had begun to determine how the crash happened. Military authorities said teams were continuing operations at the accident site while investigators gathered evidence and worked to establish the sequence of events before the aircraft went down.
The investigation is expected to examine the condition of the aircraft, flight operations and other factors that may have contributed to the accident. Authorities have not yet released final findings.
Crash cause
Although preliminary accounts suggested the aircraft experienced a problem before the crash, officials have not confirmed a definitive cause. The exact reason for the accident therefore remains under investigation, and early descriptions of a technical failure should not be treated as a final conclusion.
Authorities are expected to provide further information after investigators review evidence from the crash site and available flight records. Until then, the confirmed focus remains on identifying the circumstances of the Kenge crash and supporting the families of those who lost their lives.
