Plane crashes in Congo’s South Kivu province, killing 5

KINSHASA, Congo – A plane crashed in Congo’s South Kivu province Thursday, killing all five people aboard, the provincial minister of transport and communications said Friday.

The small cargo plane, belonging to the company Agefreco, was travelling from Kalima in Maniema province to Bukavu in South Kivu province when it crashed into a dense forest minutes before its expected landing, according to minister Claude Swedi Basila.

The five victims were two crew members and three passengers, he said.

The United Nations mission in Congo will help investigate the circumstances of the crash, he said, adding that further details were not yet available.

Plane crashes are not uncommon in Congo, where safety standards are not strict and there is poor maintenance. Congolese commercial carriers are banned by the European Union.

An Antonov 28 chartered by Agefreco in South Kivu with crashed on Jan. 30. Five people died.