Plane crashes in Congo killing Armenian crew, locals

December 1, 2012 - 13:44 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - About 30 people, including the crew consisting of Armenian citizens, were killed when a cargo plane skidded off the runway and crashed into houses and a bar in the Congolese capital, SBC reported.

The cargo plane has crashed at Brazzaville Airport, in Congo's capital, as it was trying to land in a storm, emergency services and witnesses say.

Locals were killed as the aircraft skidded off the runway and crashed into houses and a bar before crashing into a ravine, said Georgelin Massemba, head of the emergency services.

The crew, according to SBC, numbered three or four people.

However, the spokesperson for Armenia’s General Department of Civil Aviation, Ms. Nelly Cherchinyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter that the crew consisted of 7 people, of whom 5 were Armenian citizens.

The Ilyushin plane, registered with local company Aero-services, was flying in from the western port city of Pointe Noire carrying cars and other goods.

A witness said the crash happened during a violent storm.

Two hours after the crash, firefighters were still scouring the wreckage in search of victims. Although the plane was to carry freight, they sometimes also carry people other than the crew.