Chartered plane crashes in Congo, terrifying footage shows exact moment: Casualties and causes — What we know

A chartered Embraer aircraft carrying Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba and his delegation skidded off runway 29 while landing at Kolwezi Airport on Monday (Nov 17). The aircraft slid on its belly and caught fire in the tail section. As per reports, 20 officials were onboard and everyone escaped without being hurt. Video circulating online shows people evacuating while the fuselage lay off the runway. The accident followed a fatal accident at the Kalando mine on November 15. Survivors also said that they had to escape smoke filled cabin after the aircraft skidded off. The aircraft appears to belong to Angolan operator Airjet, based on markings seen in videos, though this is not formally confirmed.

Meanwhile, the Mines Ministry of DRC said that the delegation was travelling to Lualaba province after a deadly mining accident in Kalondo, where 32 people were killed. He was scheduled to meet local authorities, assess damage, and coordinate support measures. It added that the incident will not affect the minister’s mission or commitment to supporting affected communities, and technical meetings have already begun.

Aviation officials have not yet confirmed the cause. Possible factors include mechanical failure, pilot error, runway conditions, or weather. Emergency teams quickly responded and extinguished the fire.