KINSHASA — At least 14 people, including two senior military officers, were killed on Friday, September 25, 2026 after a Congolese military aircraft crashed in Kenge, a town in Kwango Province, southwestern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The aircraft was traveling from Kikwit back to the capital, Kinshasa, following an official mission when it encountered severe technical difficulties mid-flight. Local officials reported that the pilot attempted an emergency landing in Kenge; however, with no operational airstrip available in the immediate area, the plane went down in a residential neighborhood.
The Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) confirmed that all passengers and crew members on board lost their lives in the fatal impact. Among the victims were two high-ranking general officers: Lieutenant General MutomboKatalayiTiende, president of the High Military Court, and Lieutenant General BakumiLikulia, auditor general of the armed forces.
Military spokesperson Major General EfomiEkenge stated that 12 other individuals, including delegation members and aircrew, perished alongside the two generals. Rescue workers reaching the scene noted that the crash resulted in an intense post-impact fire, leaving the majority of the bodies severely burned in the wreckage.
Congo's Civil Aviation Authority and military command have launched a formal joint investigation to determine the precise mechanical failure or contributing factors that caused the aircraft to go down.
The crash underscores long-standing safety concerns regarding regional air travel and aviation infrastructure within the country, where military and civil transport fleets often face heavy operational demands. Official tributes from defense authorities and government representatives are expected in Kinshasa in the coming days as official identities of all victims are verified.
In response to the tragic event, President Felix Tshisekedi offered his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and declared three days of national mourning across the Democratic Republic of Congo. Flags will fly at half-mast nationwide as military honors and public memorial services are prepared in the capital to commemorate the fallen officials and service members who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Published by Banx Network. This article is part of the Banx decentralized media programme, powered by the BXE token on the XRP Ledger.
