No survivors after military helicopter crashes in DR Congo

A helicopter belonging to the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo crashed on October 30, 2024 on the runway of Ndolo airport in the capital Kinshasa.

Photo credit: Xinhua

No crew member survived the crash of a military helicopter on Wednesday in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), local media, reported, citing the DRC Airway Authority (RVA).

According to local military sources, the Fardc helicopter crashed on the runway of Ndolo airport, Kinshasa's second airport, at around 11am local time.

All three people on board, namely the pilot, the co-pilot and the technician, who were "expatriates," died, according to local media, which quoted RVA sources as saying the pilot was strapped in and died on the spot.

The other two crew members died on the way to a local hospital, according to RVA sources, which was also confirmed by General Fae Ngama, a commander of the Fardc, to the Congolese Press Agency, the official State media outlet.

Christophe Lomami, mayor of the Barumbu commune, where the airport is located, confirmed the tragedy, noting that the causes of the accident remain unknown.Â