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UN surveillance drone crashes in Congo UN surveillance drone crashes in Congo
(35 minutes later)
A United Nations surveillance drone was damaged on Wednesday after sliding off the runway while trying to land in the eastern Congo city of Goma, the UN special representative for the country said. A United Nations surveillance drone has been damaged after sliding off the runway while trying to land in the eastern Congo city of Goma, the UN special representative for the country said.
The drone, part of a new programme monitoring armed groups in the conflict-ridden eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was made inoperable but would fly again after repairs, said Martin Kobler at the UN headquarters in New York. The drone, part of a programme monitoring armed groups in the conflict-ridden eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was made inoperable but would fly again after repairs, said Martin Kobler at the UN headquarters in New York.
The incident occurred as the unarmed drone was returning from a mission, to Goma, in North Kivu province, and no casualties were reported, said Felix Prosper Basse, a military spokesman for the peacekeeping mission.The incident occurred as the unarmed drone was returning from a mission, to Goma, in North Kivu province, and no casualties were reported, said Felix Prosper Basse, a military spokesman for the peacekeeping mission.
Last March the UN security council authorised the use of unarmed drones on a trial basis for intelligence gathering in east Congo, a region where several armed groups continue to operate despite the defeat of the M23 rebel group late last year. Last March, the UN security council authorised the use of unarmed drones on a trial basis for intelligence gathering in east Congo, a region where several armed groups continue to operate despite the defeat of the M23 rebel group late last year.
The first of five white-painted, five-metre (16ft) long, drones employed in the region was launched in December by the UN's MONUSCO peacekeeping mission. The peacekeeping mission said the aircraft could provide essential surveillance of armed groups and civilians affected by their actions. The first of five white-painted, five-metre (16ft) long, drones employed in the region was launched in December by the UN's Monusco peacekeeping mission. The mission said the aircraft could provide essential surveillance of armed groups and civilians affected by their actions.
"We are currently conducting an investigation to determine the precise technical causes of this incident," Basse said."We are currently conducting an investigation to determine the precise technical causes of this incident," Basse said.
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