A passenger plane has crashed after take-off in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo town of Goma with at least 60 people aboard.
An airliner with at least 60 people on board has crashed shortly after take-off in the town of Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Rescue services were battling a large fire, witnesses said. There is no word on the number of casualties.
Dozens of people were feared dead, but unconfirmed reports speak of several survivors being pulled from the wreckage as rescuers fought a fire.
It was unclear what type of aircraft it was. Officials said it belonged to the private airline Hewa Bora.
The airliner belonged to the private airline Hewa Bora.
DR Congo has one of the world's poorest air safety records with eight crashes in 2007, Reuters news agency notes.
DR Congo has one of the world's poorest air safety records with eight crashes in 2007, Reuters news agency notes.
'Survivors'
It was not immediately clear whether the plane had hit a residential area of the town.
Estimates for the number of people aboard range from 60 to 100, according to United Nations and aviation officials.
Estimates for the number of people aboard range from 60 to 100, according to United Nations and aviation officials.
"We're doing all we can to reach the aircraft but it's ablaze," Goma air safety official Thomas Oleko was quoted as saying by AFP news agency.
UN mission spokesman Kemal Saiki told Reuters news agency the passenger number was "60 to 70" while aviation officials quoted by AFP news agency said at least 100 passengers and crew had been aboard.
Provincial governor Julien Mpaluku said investigators were trying to establish how many people had been aboard.
Gauthier Iloko, assistant commander at Goma airport, was quoted by The Associated Press news agency as saying at least 10 people had been pulled out of the wreckage of the plane alive.
It faltered after take-off and crashed into a populated neighbourhood, Mr Mpaluku said.
"It's difficult to give a number, but there are already at least 10 survivors that were pulled out of the wreck and who were sent to the hospital," he said.
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