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UN: Remains of 17 found at Congo crash site

05/09/2008

The remains of 17 passengers on board a humanitarian flight which crashed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have been found, the United Nations (UN) has confirmed.

The aid plane crashed into a mountain on Monday as it began its descent towards Bukavu, in the province of South Kivu.

Search and rescue teams located the crash site 16 kilometres northwest of Bukavu airport.

Amongst the 17 killed in the crash were a Canadian and four Congolese employees of the UN development programme, plus a French citizen and a UN volunteer from India both of whom worked for the UN office for the co-ordination of humanitarian affairs.

Also onboard were three members of the Handicap International Belgium and an employee from MSF-Holland. Four Congolese parliamentary administration members and two pilots were also killed in the crash.

A humanitarian plane carrying 17 people has crashed into a mountain in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations (UN) has said.

Alan Doss, the secretary general's special representative in the DRC, has voiced his deep sadness at the tragedy which claimed the lives of those working to ease the suffering of the Congolese population and to support the rebuilding of the country.