Two generals among 17 killed as aircraft crashes in Congo’s Kenge

Kinshasa: A plane crash in southwestern Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 17 people, including two senior military officials, with authorities launching an investigation into the cause of the accident, according to local reports.

The aircraft crashed in Kenge, the capital of Kwango province, while returning to the capital, Kinshasa, from Kikwit on Friday. The latest toll reported by local authorities is 17, comprising 13 military personnel and four civilians, including a child.

The two senior military officials killed in the crash were Lieutenant General Mutombo Katalayi Tiende, head of the military court, and Lieutenant General Bakumi Likulia, auditor general of the armed forces.

"In addition to the two general officers, twelve members of the delegation and the crew members also lost their lives in this accident," Major General Efomi Ekenge, spokesperson of the Congolese military, said in a statement.

The military said the delegation was returning from an official assignment in Kikwit when the aircraft developed a technical problem and crashed in Kenge.

The cause of the crash remains unknown. Tryphon Kin-Kiey Mulumba, chairman of the board of the Civil Aviation Authority, also said the circumstances of the accident were yet to be established.

Local reports said the aircraft had attempted to find a suitable place to land before crashing into a residential plot in Kenge. Authorities said no residents on the ground were injured.

An investigation has been opened to determine the cause of the accident, Ekenge said.

The provincial government said security had been tightened at the crash site, while an investigation team was expected to examine the wreckage. Authorities also said the aircraft's black box had not yet been recovered.

The crash comes as the Congolese military continues to battle numerous armed groups in the country's eastern region, including the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group.

The conflict intensified last year following a series of attacks that led to rebel forces capturing key cities.