Antonov An-72 crash in Kasai-Oriental Province

8 fatalities • Okoto, Democratic Republic of Congo • Flight

An Antonov An-72 cargo flight traveling from Goma to Kinshasa disappeared and crashed near Okoto, resulting in the deaths of all eight people on board.

What happened

A cargo flight operated for the Congolese Presidency departed Goma Airport at 15:32 local time, destined for Kinshasa. The Antonov An-72 was transporting various goods, including a presidential vehicle, along with a total of eight people, consisting of four crew members and four passengers. Approximately 59 minutes after the aircraft left Goma, communication with the flight was lost; no distress signal was transmitted by the crew prior to the disappearance.

Following a search, the wreckage was located on October 14 in the vicinity of Okoto, situated within the Kole region of the western Kasai-Oriental Province. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. All eight fatalities occurred during the accident, including the entire crew and all passengers. The passenger manifest included two bodyguards and a personal driver for the Congolese President.

Findings

There are no specific findings regarding the technical or operational cause of the accident provided in the initial reports, though the aircraft disappeared without a distress call during the flight.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2019-10-10 Antonov AN-72 accident near Okoto, Democratic Republic of Congo?

An Antonov An-72 cargo flight traveling from Goma to Kinshasa disappeared and crashed near Okoto, resulting in the deaths of all eight people on board.

Were there any fatalities in the 2019-10-10 Antonov AN-72 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 8 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2019-10-10 involved a Antonov AN-72, registration EK-72903, operated by Congolese Air Force - Force Aérienne de la République Démocratique du Congo, at Okoto, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Loading the flight search…

What you can do on Flight Finder

  • Search flights between any two airports with live fares.
  • By aircraft — pick a plane model (e.g. Boeing 787, Airbus A350) and see every route it flies from your origin.
  • Route map — click any airport worldwide to explore its destinations, or draw a radius to find nearby airports.
  • Global aviation safety — aviation accident database, 40,000+ records since 1980, with map and rankings by aircraft and operator.
  • NTSB safety feed — recent U.S. aviation accidents and incidents from the official NTSB CAROL database, updated daily.