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Plane misses runway in east Congo, landing in lava
KINSHASA, Congo -- A passenger plane overshot the runway Thursday, landing in hardened lava surrounding an airport in eastern Congo and injuring 20 people, a U.N.-run radio station reported.Sorry to disappoint all those of you who (like me) clicked through expecting molten lava and lurid descriptions of melting aircraft-grade aluminum, jet-fuel fireballs, and spontaneously-combusting flight attendants. An official from the U.N. mission in Congo, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he does not have permission to speak with media, (Sneaky of him, wasn't it?) said there were 117 passengers aboard. They included the governor of North Kivu province, who was not hurt. The plane was operated by CAA (Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation). Could have been worse, could have been Iran Air ... A 2002 volcanic eruption sent lava oozing onto Goma's runway, truncating it from more than 2 miles (3 kilometers) to less than a mile (1.5 kilometers). Authorities have not removed all of the lava rock. Congo has experienced more fatal plane crashes than any other African country since 1945, according to the Aviation Safety Network. Posted by: Mike 2009-11-19 |
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