A chartered Embraer ERJ-145LR carrying Democratic Republic of Congo’s mines minister, Louis Watum Kabamba, and about 20 others skidded off the runway and burst into flames while landing at Kolwezi Airport on Monday. Despite the dramatic scene, all passengers survived without injury.
The aircraft—operated by Airjet Angola and returning from Kinshasa—overshot runway 29 at about 11 a.m., with the tail section erupting in flames immediately after impact.
Local emergency crews responded swiftly, racing to the burning aircraft to extinguish the fire and guide passengers to safety. Footage from the scene showed the rear of the plane engulfed in thick black smoke as responders used water hoses to battle the flames. Passengers seated at the front evacuated quickly via the aircraft stairs, many running away from the wreckage.
Minister Kabamba, 63, and his team had been en route to the Kalondo mine, where more than 30 workers were killed in a tragic collapse over the weekend. Authorities say the collapse was triggered by panic when military personnel securing the area reportedly fired gunshots, causing miners to flee into unsafe zones.
A formal investigation into the failed landing is now under way. Officials have yet to confirm what led the aircraft to overshoot the runway and catch fire.
Melissa Enoch
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