Tragic Military Plane Crash in Democratic Republic of the Congo Claims Over a Dozen Lives

A Congolese police officer and a military officer patrol outside the General Referral Hospital of Mongbwalu in Mongbwalu, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on May 24, 2026. At least 14 people, including senior military officials, lost their lives on Friday when a Congolese army plane crashed in the southwestern region of the country.

The aircraft was en route to the capital, Kinshasa, departing from the southwestern city of Kikwit when it encountered a technical malfunction, prompting an emergency landing attempt in Kenge, located in Kwango province.

Remy Saki Bokinda, deputy governor of Kwango, stated that due to the absence of a landing strip in Kenge, the aircraft unfortunately impacted a residential plot.

Major-General Efomi Ekenge, a Congolese military spokesperson, confirmed the death toll of 14 individuals. He reported that every passenger on board perished, noting that 12 victims suffered severe burns beyond recognition while the pilot was discovered lifeless outside the wreckage.

Military authorities confirmed that the casualties included civilians, military personnel, and members of an official delegation accompanying two generals. Bokinda reiterated that the majority of the bodies were severely burned and the pilot was found outside the fallen aircraft.

Ekenge announced that an official investigation has been launched to establish the exact cause of the tragedy. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, a sprawling and mineral-wealthy central African nation, has faced decades of ongoing conflict, particularly near its eastern border with Rwanda where multiple armed factions vie for dominance over profitable mining territories. The Congolese military has remained actively engaged in clashes against various rebel groups that have seized control of key cities across the country since the previous year.