Dozens killed in Congo plane crash

A file picture of Congolese policemen standing on the runway at the airport in Goma in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

DOZENS of people have been killed after a plane crashed into a residential area of Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in bad weather, police say.

The aircraft, a Fokker belonging to the local CAA company, was coming from the central mining town of Lodja and went down just before landing at Goma airport, police sources said.

The accident took place during heavy rainfall.

Aircraft accidents are frequent in the vast DR Congo, where many planes are old and airports lack modern equipment.

All of the country's roughly 50 airlines are on the blacklist of the European Union, which has banned them from its airspace.

In February 2012, a close aide to President Joseph Kabila was killed when his plane overshot the runway at Bukavu airport in the country's east.

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