Congo military plane crash kills 13, including three officers, official says

KINSHASA, Sept 25 (Reuters) — Thirteen people including three army officers were killed on Friday when a military plane crashed in Democratic Republic of Congo, an official said. The plane was travelling to the capital, Kinshasa, from the southwestern city of Kikwit when it experienced a technical problem and attempted to land in Kenge, in Kwango province, said Remy Saki Bokinda, the Kwango vice governor. "With no landing strip available in Kenge, the plane crashed into a residential plot," he said. The passengers included General Likulia Bakumi, the army's auditor general, as well as a major, a captain and other military personnel and civilians, Bokinda said. "All those on board died; 12 were burned beyond recognition, while the pilot's lifeless body was found outside the aircraft," he said. Congo's aviation accident investigation authority is launching a probe of the crash, a government statement said. Congo's army suffered significant setbacks last year at the hands of Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebels who seized large swathes of the east. (Reporting by Congo newsroom; Writing by Robbie Corey-Boulet; Editing by Toby Chopra) ((robbie.corey-boulet@thomsonreuters.com)