Just days after the European Union’s ban of the Congolese carrier Hewa Bora Airways flights to EU, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9 of the airline crashed Tuesday (15 April) as it was taking off from Goma city in the eastern Congo. The plane crashed in a crowded market district causing the death of many people as Reuters reported.
The death toll is still unknown but United Nations peacekeeping mission to the country (MONUC) reports that dozens of people have lost their lives in the crash. The Kinshasa-bound flight was carrying an estimated 80 passengers and six crew members.
"MONUC peacekeepers, fire brigades, ambulance crews, medical staff and first-aid providers were dispatched immediately to the crash site to help local authorities give treatment to the injured and evacuate victims to a UN hospital" United Nations stated.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has a long and extremely poor aviation safety record. On 11 April 2008 International Air Transport Association (IATA) and African air traffic management organisation ASECNA announced an agreement to combine efforts to improve safety, service levels, efficiency, cost effectiveness and infrastructure on the continent.
“IATA and ASECNA have a shared vision to unlock the potential of African aviation,” said Giovanni Bisignani, Director General and CEO of IATA. “Africa has the world’s worst safety record and its airlines are the least profitable with US$300 million in losses forecast for this year. This must change. Improved safety and efficiency are a must to preserve and increase aviation’s contribution of US$9 billion in GDP and 430,000 jobs in Africa.”
Michael Verikios - Wednesday, April 16, 2008