Kenge, Congo: The aircraft crash occurred on 25 September 2026 when a Let L-410 UVP Turbolet, registered 9S-GUC and operated by Tracep Congo Aviation, went down in Kenge while operating a flight toward Kinshasa. The aircraft had been travelling from Kikwit in Kwilu province to Kinshasa when it encountered a problem and the crew attempted to find a place to land. It made several circles over Kenge before crashing into a parcel in the Manzawu area of the city. No people on the ground were reported killed.
The death toll from the aircraft crash in the Southwest of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has risen from 13 to 17, said the provincial vice-governor, Rémy Saki.
“Contrary to the initial report of 13 deaths, 16 bodies of adults and the body of a baby have been discovered, bringing the number down to 17,” said Mr. Saki.
The initial death toll was reported as 13, with the early account saying the aircraft had 13 passengers and that only the pilot’s body had initially been recovered intact while the other bodies were badly burned. Later, after firefighters and recovery teams brought the fire under control, additional bodies were recovered. The revised provincial count was 16 adults and one baby, bringing the toll to 17. The DRC Transport Ministry subsequently confirmed that the aircraft was carrying 13 passengers and four crew members, all of whom died.
Among the victims were two senior military justice officials: Lieutenant-General Joseph Mutombo Katalayi Tiende, the first president of the DRC’s High Military Court, and Lieutenant-General Lucien-René Likulia Bakumi, the auditor general of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC).
The FARDC confirmed their deaths in a statement issued through its spokesman, Major-General Sylvain Ekenge. The army said the two generals were returning from an official mission in Kikwit, in neighbouring Kwilu province. They were travelling with members of their delegation when the aircraft crashed while returning toward Kinshasa.
The provincial authorities said the 17 victims comprised 13 military personnel and four civilians, including a baby. However, because many of the bodies were severely burned, authorities initially faced difficulties identifying the victims. The bodies were later transferred to Kinshasa for further handling and identification.
The pilot was identified in local reporting as Estimé Baraka, who was reported to have been flying the Let L-410 on the Kikwit-Kinshasa sector. His body was among those recovered after the crash. The two senior generals are the only other victims whose identities have been officially and consistently confirmed in the available government and military statements. The identities of the remaining victims have not been publicly released by the officials.
The aircraft was a Let L-410 UVP Turbolet, a twin-engine turboprop, registered 9S-GUC and operated by Tracep Congo Aviation.
According to the provincial authorities’ initial account, the aircraft developed a problem while over or near Kenge. The crew then attempted to find a suitable location for an emergency landing. The aircraft reportedly circled the city several times before descending and crashing into a parcel.
Rémy Saki, Vice-Governor of Kwango Province, said, “At Kenge, it was looking for where to land, it could not, it made several turns and crashed into a parcel. Fortunately, no occupant of the parcel had a problem.” The aircraft caught fire after the impact and was extensively burned. The fire complicated the recovery and identification of the victims.
However, the exact nature of the problem that affected the aircraft has not been established officially. There is currently no final investigation finding confirming whether the accident was caused by an engine failure, another technical malfunction, weather, a flight-control problem, fuel, crew factors or any other issue.
The DRC’s Bureau Permanent d’Enquêtes d’Accidents et Incidents d’Aviation (BPEA) opened a safety investigation and sent investigators to the crash site.
In its initial communication, It instructed the airline to provide the passenger manifest and details of the commander and called on local authorities to secure the crash site and preserve evidence.
The flight recorder had not been recovered when the provincial authorities gave their initial updates. Rémy Saki said investigators were still searching for it and that work would continue during daylight.
“We are looking for the black box; we have not found it. Perhaps tomorrow, with daylight, we could discover it,” Saki said.
The provincial government also ordered security and technical services to protect the crash site and preserve material that could assist the investigation.
The DRC Justice Ministry has separately ordered a judicial investigation to establish the facts, circumstances and precise causes of the accident. The investigation is being handled through the military justice system following the deaths of the FARDC’s auditor general and the president of the High Military Court.
Following the crash, DRC Transport Minister Jean-Pierre Bemba ordered the immediate suspension of Tracep Congo Aviation’s Air Operator Certificate (AOC/CTA) pending the completion of the investigations.
The suspension applies to the company’s aircraft operations throughout the DRC and will remain in place while the BPEA investigation continues.
The Transport Ministry said the accident involved the Let L-410 UVP, registration 9S-GUC, operated by Tracep Congo Aviation, and confirmed 17 deaths, including 13 passengers and four crew members.
The ministry also said it would provide further official information as the investigation progresses and expressed condolences to the victims’ families.
The DRC government has declared three days of national mourning following the crash. Flags across the country were ordered to be flown at half-mast from 28 September 2026 until the burial of the victims.
President Félix Tshisekedi expressed condolences following the deaths of Lieutenant-General Joseph Mutombo Katalayi Tiende and Lieutenant-General Lucien-René Likulia Bakumi and other members of the delegation and crew.
The government has urged the public to respect the dignity of the victims and their families while the investigations continue.
