Officials: 32 killed in U.N. plane crash in Congo; 1 survives

A United Nations official says 32 people have been killed in a plane crash in the Democratic Republic of Congo. U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq says one survivor has been found among the 33 people who were on board the plane when it crashed while trying to land Monday in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa. Authorities say the plane was trying to land in torrential rain when it hit the runway and broke into pieces. Nearly all of the people on board were passengers.

The flight originated in the northeastern Congolese city of Kisangani. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said she was “deeply saddened” to learn of the crash. She said the loss of humanitarians and peacekeepers in the accident is a tragedy for the United Nations and the Congolese people. The U.N. mission in Congo, known as MONUSCO, includes about 19,000 peacekeeping troops. They protect civilians and support the government's efforts to fight rebel groups and militias in the large Central African nation. Plane accidents are common in Congo, which has a poor aviation safety record.