Latest Accident In Country Claims At Least 30

ANN REALTIME REPORTING 10.04.07 1045 EDT: A Russian-made Antonov-26 turboprop is down in the Congo, resulting in at least 30 casualties.

A Congolese Ministry of Information official told CNN the aircraft went down shortly after takeoff in a poor suburb of Kinshasha. The aircraft departed from Kinshasa International Airport, also known as N'Djili International Airport, at around 1040 local time Thursday morning.

A few minutes after takeoff, the plane (file images of type shown above and below) reportedly experienced unknown technical problems. The plane's flight crew began dumping fuel in anticiaption of a return to Kinshasha, according to officials.

The aircraft had just established contact with airport's tower when it impacted a crowded neighborhood in Masina, according to Jean-Pierre Eale, an aide to the Democratic Republic of Congo's information minister.

The 22 passengers and crew onboard the Antonov were lost, in addition to at least eight persons on the ground. Russia's ITAR-Tass news agency reported the plane belonged to Congolese carrier Africa 1, and had a Russian crew, according to the Associated Press.

Thursday's accident is the latest to strike the beleaguered Democratic Republic of Congo. In the past year, there have been 24 aircraft accidents, as tracked by Aviation Safety Network. Almost half of those have involved Antonovs; 10 of the accidents have been fatal, resulting in 61 deaths.

FMI: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo