A plane crash in the southwestern Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 17 people, including two senior military justice officials.
The accident occurred on Friday near Kenge, the capital of Kwango province, more than 200 kilometres east of Kinshasa.
The Transport Ministry confirmed the deaths on Saturday.
Military Delegation Among Crash Victims
The aircraft was carrying a delegation of military justice officials.
It was a Let 410 UVP light aircraft operated by Tracep Congo Aviation.
The plane was returning from a service mission to Kikwit in neighbouring Kwilu province.
According to the Transport Ministry, 13 passengers and four crew members died in the crash.
The cause of the accident has not yet been determined.
Two Senior Military Officials Killed
Among those killed were two senior figures in Congo’s military justice system.
They were Lieutenant General Joseph Mutombo, first president of the High Military Court, and Lieutenant General Lucien-Rene Likulia, the armed forces’ auditor general.
Likulia had played a prominent role in the prosecution of former President Joseph Kabila.
The High Military Court tried Kabila in absentia in 2025.
In August 2025, Likulia requested the death penalty for Kabila over charges including war crimes, treason and organising an insurrection.
Kabila was later sentenced to death in absentia in September 2025.
President Orders Investigation
President Felix Tshisekedi has ordered an investigation into the crash.
Authorities have not announced what caused the aircraft to go down.
The accident highlights the challenges facing air travel in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The vast country relies heavily on air transport because many roads remain in poor condition.
However, aviation also faces infrastructure challenges.
Some airports and navigation systems require significant improvements, increasing the risks associated with air travel.
