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21 bodies recovered from Congolese crash

DR Congo - Plane to Kinshasa crashes
DR Congo - Plane to Kinshasa crashes

Rescue workers have recovered 21 bodies from the crash site in Democratic Republic of Congo where a  passenger plane smashed into a crowded market on take-off.

But they have so far been unable to establish if any of the  plane's passengers were among the victims, or if all those killed  were among those on the ground at the time of the crash.

The DC-9 jet crashed into the Birere market area of Goma, the  capital of the eastern province of Nord-Kivu and burst into flames.

There were 85 people on board, 79 passengers and six members of  crew.

The crew are reportedly all fine. and 53 passengers have been located.

At least 70 injured have already been admitted to hospital in  Goma, most of them local residents, according to a hospital  official.

Earlier, various airport sources had reported dozens dead in the disaster, which saw the plane crash-land into houses and a  market not far from the end of the runway before bursting into  flames.

The plane was destined for the capital Kinshasa, but it was not  clear how many passengers had already disembarked at Goma.

The original passenger list had 152 names on it, but many of  these had got off before the crash, according to the National Air Traffic Authority RVA in Goma.

It was the fifth fatal plane crash in DR Congo since June last year. The last was in October when a cargo aircraft ploughed into a  working-class district of Kinshasa and killed at least 50 people.