At least six killed in DR Congo plane crash: official

At least six people died after a plane flying from Uganda crashed into the Uvira mountains in the Democratic Republic of Congo's east, a DR Congo official said on Monday.

At least six people died after a plane flying from Uganda crashed into the Uvira mountains in the Democratic Republic of Congo's east, a DR Congo official said on Monday.

The plane, which made a stop in the Burundian capital Bujumbura, crashed into the mountains on Sunday about four minutes after take-off, local government official Noella Nafranka said.

"We don't know how many passengers were on board," Nafranka said. "All we know is that there were six crew members and the plane was charred, so there are at least six deaths."

The plane, whose flight path was confirmed by a Burundian official on condition of anonymity, was flying to Pointe-Noire in neighbouring Congo Brazzaville. The causes of the night accident and the nationalities of the victims were not clear.

DR Congo has one of the world's worst aviation safety records. About 50 of its airlines figure on a EU blacklist banning companies from flying within the European Union.