Five Ukrainians die in An-26 crash in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
KYIV. Dec 31 (Interfax) - Five Ukrainian citizens - crewmembers died in a crash of an Antonov An-26 freight plane of Sirin Ukrainian airlines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on December 28, the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reports.
"According to a report from the Ukrainian embassy in Kenya, on December 28, an An-26 freight plane of Ukrainian Sirin airlines en route from Entebbe (Uganda) to Pointe Noire (the Republic of the Congo) crashed. Preliminary reports say six crewmembers died, five of them were Ukrainian citizens," says a report circulated on Wednesday.
Search and rescue efforts continue at the crash scene.
The Ukrainian diplomatic missions in Belgium and Kenya have been authorized to take measures to look into the circumstances of the incident and arrange the repatriation of the bodies of the Ukrainian citizens.
Weather conditions may be behind the crash, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Yevhen Perebyinis has said.
"A storm which was registered that day could be behind the crash," he said on the "112 Ukraine" TV channel on Wednesday.
Perebyinis said that the bodies of the An-26 crewmembers were found."We are now working with the relevant services in the DR Congo via the Ukrainian Embassy in Belgium and the representative of the Ukrainian Embassy in Kenya," the Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
Meawnehile, the Ukrainian Infrastructure Ministry has not confirmed that the An-26 aircraft was operated by the Ukrainian airline.
