The death toll from a small plane that crashed in a densely populated area of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has risen to 23, officials said.
The plane crashed in a crowded residential area in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo city of Goma shortly after takeoff,
The office of the governor of North Kivu province, Carly Nzanzo Kasevita, said in a statement that the plane belonging to the company Bezbi B crashed while taking off on a trip to the city of Beni.
The 19-seat Dornier 228-200 was carrying 16 passengers and two crew, an official from the company said.
According to Reuters, aviation accidents are relatively frequent in the Congo due to lax safety standards and poor maintenance, and all airlines in the country, including «Bee B» are prohibited from operating in Europe.
A cargo plane that took off from the airport itself crashed an hour after take-off last October, killing eight passengers.