DR Congo Suspends Aviation Company After Crash Kills 17
The Democratic Republic of Congo has suspended the operations of Tracep Congo Aviation after one of its aircraft crashed in the country’s southwest, killing 17 people, including two army generals and an infant.
The Transport Ministry ordered the suspension of the airline’s Air Operator Certificate across the country pending investigations by the Permanent Bureau of Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation.
The Let L-410 aircraft was travelling from Kikwit to the capital, Kinshasa, on Friday when it developed a technical problem and attempted to make an emergency landing in Kenge, Kwango province. The aircraft crashed and caught fire.
Authorities said 13 passengers and four crew members were killed. Among the victims were Lieutenant General Joseph Mutombo, the first president of the High Military Court, and Lieutenant General Lucien-René Likulia, the military’s auditor general.
President Félix Tshisekedi ordered a thorough investigation into the circumstances and causes of the crash. A separate judicial investigation has also been opened to establish what led to the accident.
The authorities have not yet established the precise cause of the crash, with investigators continuing to examine the wreckage and other evidence.
The suspension of Tracep Congo Aviation will remain in place until the aviation accident investigation is completed.
