A plane transporting a military delegation from the Democratic Republic of Congo has crashed, resulting in the deaths of 17 people. Among those killed in the accident were four civilians and two high-ranking members of the Congolese armed forces.
An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the crash.
Why It Matters
The Democratic Republic of Congo has long struggled with a notoriously poor aviation safety record, driven by aging aircraft, substandard maintenance, and weak regulatory oversight. Due to the country's vast, densely forested territory and a severe lack of reliable road infrastructure, air travel is often the only viable option for long-distance transport. Consequently, the country has experienced numerous fatal military and civilian plane crashes over the past few decades, leading European Union authorities to ban all Congolese-registered airlines from operating within EU airspace.
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