The plane wreckage that almost claimed the lives of the minister and his delegation
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Hadn’t been God’s mercy, a runway excursion and fire would have killed Louis Watum Kabamba, DR Congo’s Mines Minister and his delegation. But they survived with a whisker.
The group had been en route to Kalando after a deadly artisanal mine collapse that killed more than 30 people.
The grizzly accident destroyed their aircraft at Kolwezi Airport on November 17, prompting renewed scrutiny of emergency preparedness at one of the country’s busiest mining-region airfields.
According to a statement from the DR authorities, the Angolan-operated Embraer ERJ-145 carrying the delegation veered off the runway during landing at 11am local time and burst into flames, on Monday, November 17th.
“The aircraft, registered 9S-AJB and flown under Air Katanga for a chartered emergency mission, had departed Lubumbashi for Kolwezi in Lualaba Province,” reads part of the statement.
Government further said that the minister was expected to convey government condolences, assess damage and coordinate emergency assistance with provincial authorities.
They confirmed that Minister Kabamba and all members of his delegation escaped unhurt.
Government has promised an investigation into the cause of the crash, which would look at airport conditions during landing and the apparent delay in firefighting response. It is also expected to focus on apparent technical failure.
This followed eye witness which revealed that there were no fire trucks in sight, several minutes after the accident. This is despite the fact that Kolwezi Airport is required to maintain at least three rescue-and-firefighting vehicles under their custody, in anticipation of accidents.
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