DRC Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba Survives Crash of Chartered Embraer Aircraft
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s newly appointed Mines Minister, Louis Watum Kabamba, survived a crash involving a chartered Embraer aircraft on Tuesday, government officials confirmed.
The aircraft, believed to be an Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia operated by a local charter company, went down shortly after takeoff from Kolwezi Airport in Lualaba Province. Minister Kabamba was en route to an inspection tour of several key copper and cobalt mining projects when the aircraft reportedly encountered a critical technical failure.
According to preliminary reports, the flight crew issued an emergency call moments after departure, citing engine irregularities. Witnesses near the crash site said the aircraft “struggled to gain altitude” before impacting open terrain approximately 12 kilometres from the airport.
Emergency responders reached the scene quickly. Minister Kabamba and two senior advisers sustained moderate injuries but were conscious and able to communicate with rescuers. The flight’s captain and first officer suffered serious injuries and have been airlifted to Lubumbashi for urgent medical treatment.
President Félix Tshisekedi expressed relief over the minister’s survival and ordered an immediate investigation, directing the Civil Aviation Authority and Transport Ministry to determine whether the aircraft was properly maintained and certified for charter executive missions.
Louis Watum Kabamba, a prominent mining executive before joining the cabinet earlier this year, has been central to the government’s push for increased oversight, transparency, and safety across the mining sector—an agenda now underscored by the crash.
Officials say the minister will be transferred to Kinshasa for further medical evaluation, though he is expected to make a full recovery. The investigation into the crash is underway.
