Keypoints:
- Minister’s aircraft erupts in flames
- All passengers safely evacuated
- Delegation en route to fatal mine site
CONGOLESE Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba walked away unhurt on Monday after the aircraft carrying him and his delegation burst into flames following a runway incident in the south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Officials confirmed that the minister and all passengers were safely evacuated before the fire spread through the cabin.
Aircraft overruns runway at Kolwezi airport
Isaac Nyembo, communications adviser to the minister, briefed reporters at Kolwezi airport, saying the aircraft had been flying from Kinshasa when it veered off the runway while attempting to land in Lualaba province. Nyembo said the aircraft ‘ran off the runway during landing’, prompting emergency crews to move swiftly as the situation escalated.
According to Nyembo, the fire started just moments after the aircraft came to a halt. ‘Moments later, the aircraft caught fire,’ he said, adding that smoke rapidly filled the rear of the plane as passengers and crew scrambled to exit.
All passengers safe, luggage destroyed
Roughly 20 passengers were evacuated before flames engulfed the aircraft, Nyembo confirmed. No injuries were reported, but most luggage was lost in the fire. Images shared by local witnesses and provincial media showed heavy smoke billowing from the aircraft as firefighters attempted to contain the blaze.
Airport authorities have opened an initial inquiry into the runway overrun, with aviation regulators expected to join the investigation in the coming days. Officials have not yet identified a cause, and it remains unclear whether mechanical issues, pilot error or other factors played a role.
Delegation heading to site of Kalondo mine tragedy
Minister Watum Kabamba and his team were travelling to Kolwezi to assess conditions at the Kalondo mine, where 32 people were killed in a mining accident on Saturday. The minister had planned to meet survivors, families of the deceased and provincial mining leaders to determine what led to the fatal collapse.
The tragedy at Kalondo has intensified scrutiny on safety standards across Lualaba’s copper and cobalt belts, where both industrial and artisanal sites have recorded repeated accidents. The ministry has faced renewed public pressure to enforce stricter compliance measures and accelerate long-delayed reforms.
Despite the runway fire disrupting the schedule, Nyembo said the minister remained committed to continuing his mission, noting that alternative transport arrangements were being explored. ‘The priority is understanding what went wrong at Kalondo and preventing more lives being lost,’ he said.
Investigations underway on both incidents
Provincial authorities have pledged a full investigation into the mining disaster, while aviation officials said an update on the Kolwezi airport incident would be issued once preliminary assessments were complete. Nyembo urged calm, emphasising that the minister was safe and ‘continuing with his responsibilities.’
The dual crises have heightened national attention on safety oversight in two sectors critical to the country’s economy—mining and aviation—raising wider concerns over regulatory enforcement and infrastructure readiness across the DRC.
