Chartered DRC Government Jet Skids Off Kolwezi Runway and Catches Fire — All 18 On Board Safe, Aircraft Lost

Chartered EMB-145 Carrying DRC Mines Minister Runs Off Runway at Kolwezi and Catches Fire

On Nov. 17, a chartered Embraer EMB-145 carrying Democratic Republic of the Congo Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba, 63, and 17 other officials veered off the runway while landing at Kolwezi Airport in Lualaba province and subsequently caught fire, Congolese officials and the aircraft operator said.

Video footage shared via Newsflare and reported by the Associated Press shows the airliner resting beside the runway with heavy black smoke rising from the fuselage and visible flames on the tail section.

The delegation was en route to the Kalando mine to assess the aftermath of a recent bridge collapse there that killed at least 32 people amid severe overcrowding.

Operator statement: Airjet Angola, which identified the aircraft as an EMB-145, said in a translated Facebook post that "there were no casualties" and that "all crew and passengers are safe." The company added the aircraft was considered a total loss and that it is cooperating with aeronautical authorities and following international investigation protocols.

Isaac Nyembo, communications adviser to Minister Kabamba, told the AP the jet departed from the capital, Kinshasa, and ran off the runway while landing at Kolwezi. Local airport authorities had not immediately responded to requests for comment.

Airjet Angola said operations are continuing and emphasized its commitment to safety, promising further updates as the investigation proceeds. PEOPLE magazine has reached out to Kolwezi Airport for comment.

Key facts:

• Date: Nov. 17
• Aircraft: Embraer EMB-145 (operated by Airjet Angola)
• People on board: 18 (Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba and 17 officials)
• Casualties: Operator reports no casualties; aircraft is a total loss
• Destination: Kalando mine site — scene of a bridge collapse that killed at least 32 people

Authorities and the airline continue to investigate the cause of the runway excursion. Media outlets reporting on the incident include the Associated Press, Newsflare and PEOPLE.