17 Feared Dead In Congo Aid Plane Crash

(AP)  A plane carrying 17 people on a humanitarian aid flight has crashed in Congo, the United Nations said Tuesday.

The U.S.-based group that operated the route said an aerial survey by helicopter showed no survivors.

The Beechcraft plane went missing in bad weather late Monday with two crew and 15 passengers on board, a spokeswoman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.

It was located Tuesday 9.4 miles northwest of the airstrip at Bukavu in eastern Congo, its intended destination, Elisabeth Byrs told journalists in Geneva.

"Rescuers are on site," she said, adding that she had no confirmation of casualties. The identity of the passengers and crew was not immediately disclosed.

Air Serv International, a Warrenton, Virginia-based group, runs the twice-weekly aid delivery between Kisangani to Bukavu.

"Search and rescue efforts were initiated early this morning and visual confirmation of the downed aircraft was made," a company statement said.

The location was on steep ridge, it said.

Air Serv International describes itself as a not-for-profit aviation organization that supports humanitarian programs worldwide.

No Air Serv personnel were involved in the crash, said Suzanne Musgrave, a spokeswoman for the group told The Associated Press by telephone from Warrenton.

She said the plane was being flown by a commercial company, Cem Air.

[lovesamerica]

stevador39, what a horrible thing to say. people are people no matter where they are.Aide workers are giving of themselves,they aren''t getting rich and are often put in harms way.Get a grip, alot of our troubles are our own making. Too many people waiting for a handout, too many people wanting and expecting. And Gorillas are going extinct and anyone that thinks their plight is funny is a sad human being. Remember that we share 98% of the same dna as them.

[lewiston14]

First things first do they have oil? Charcoal and gorilla meat are not going to cut it. YEK

[stevador39]

Aid agencies pay no taxes in the U.S. They reach into American social programs and rob them. Americans are homeless and without health care because of all the international aid agencies. The only good aid worker is a dead aid worker.

[sistatee-2009]

You need to start reading more, try National Geographic.
Posted by Grandesign at 03:38 PM : Sep 02, 2008

Only thing got more coke than the Congo is Bill Clinton''s nose.

[vranger]

The graphic CBS chose to develop and show as a ''picture'' in connection with this story is just appallingly insensitive.

It just proves that once the news went ''for profit'', instead of the public service part of networks and local stations it once was, that any real relationahip to news was lost. Sensationalism and slanted presentations of events took over.

Sadly, I doubt that we will ever see responsible, trustworthy journalism again.

[grandesign]

When they got to the crash site, were they able to save the coke?
Posted by SistaTee at 01:39 PM : Sep 02, 2008

Your ignorace is appalling. The only things trafficked in the Congo are charcoal and gorilla meat. You need to start reading more, try National Geographic.

[sistatee-2009]

When they got to the crash site, were they able to save the coke? Nobody flys jets in and out of that place, twice a week, unless they''re dealing.