Panafrican News Agency

No injuries or fire reported after cargo plane force lands in Eastern DR Congo

Kigali, Rwanda (PANA) - A Cargo jet, AH-12B MOTOP 114, from Dubai was forced to land late Wednesday night after sliding off a runway due to engine malfunction at Goma International Airport in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, an authoritative source confirmed Thursday to PANA in Kigali.

Congolese airport authorities said the cargo jet approached to the right of the runway on an aborted first landing attempt and then again when it touched down at Goma International Airport.

"Initial investigations indicate it landed between the runway and taxiway," a senior official at Goma International Airport told PANA, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.

Reports indicate that both crew members escaped unhurt from the cargo jet that made a crash landing.

A pilot and co-pilot were on board at the time of the accident, according to official source.

DR Congo has a poor air safety record, according to the latest Airline Safety Ranking 2019

In the latest accident, the Antonov An-26B transport plane sustained substantial damage in a runway excursion accident at Goma Airport in September 2017.

After departure from Goma, the aircraft suffered a loss of engine power. The flight crew elected to turn back to the airport.

Reportedly the airplane touched down half way down runway 35 and failed to come to a stop on the runway. It overran onto an area of lava. The right hand main gear collapsed.

In March 2013, another plane crashed in Goma, the main city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, killing at least five passengers.

The plane crashed in the centre of Goma, near the electoral commission's building, but it did not hit any people on the ground.

In April 2008, a Hewa Bora Airlines DC-9 airplane caught fire shortly after take off and crashed into the commercial district of Birere in the city of Goma in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

-0- PANA TWA/VAO 29Aug2019