Five people burned to death after a small passenger aircraft crashed on Friday in southern Democratic Republic of Congo near the border with Angola, a local official said, giving a provisional toll.
The piston-engined Antonov 2, operated by local airline Air Kasai, burst into flames after crashing just after takeoff from Kamako for a flight to Tshikapa, 150 kilometres (93 miles) away.
“The plane crashed into the brush three kilometres (two miles) from Kamako,” said Anacletus Muswa Kapinga Safia, the deputy territorial administrator.
“Only two people got out, the pilot and a passenger. They are unable to talk,” he said.
“We already know that five people have died. We will know the final toll when the company provides us with the passenger list.”
The crash is the second in a month in DR Congo’s sprawling Kasai province. Last month, a light plane chartered by the World Food Programme (WFP) had an accident on takeoff at Kamonia, leaving several people injured.
