A major safety failure involving the Democratic Republic of the Congo's new national airline, Air Congo, has triggered global alarm. Disturbing footage circulating on social media captures the moment passengers were forced to jump from the cabin door of a Boeing 737-800 directly onto the tarmac at Kindu Airport.
Multi-Hour Ordeal Leads to Dangerous Exit
The incident occurred at Kindu Airport (KND), as reported by Aerospace Global News. The flight had arrived from Kinshasa but was stranded on the ground without standard air stairs for disembarkation. Passengers endured what witnesses called a "multi-hour" wait inside the stationary aircraft, likely in considerable heat, with no normal means to exit.
Frustrated by the delay and allegedly encouraged by ground staff, travelers took matters into their own hands. They opened the forward L1 door, which sits approximately 3 to 4 meters (10 to 13 feet) above the ground. Instead of deploying emergency slides, a costly procedure, people began a perilous evacuation.
Three-Meter Leap Caught on Camera
The viral video reveals a chaotic and hazardous scene. Passengers are first seen handing down heavy luggage to personnel on the runway before taking the jump themselves. Local police and ground staff wearing high-visibility vests marked "PISTE" are visible, seemingly supervising the ad-hoc operation rather than stopping it.
Notably, emergency slides were not activated. Industry experts suggest this was a deliberate choice to avoid the significant expense and operational delays required to repack the slides after deployment.
Scandal Hits Congo's New Flag Carrier
This incident deals a severe blow to Air Congo, a flagship project for the DRC that was launched with much fanfare in December 2024. The airline is a joint venture, with the Congolese government holding a 51% stake and Ethiopian Airlines, Africa's largest carrier, owning the remaining 49%.
The aircraft involved, a Boeing 737-800, is one of two such planes currently on lease from Ethiopian Airlines to support the new airline's operations. This serious breach raises immediate questions about operational preparedness, ground handling protocols, and safety culture at the nascent carrier, casting a shadow over its ambitious launch.
International aviation observers have expressed deep concern, noting that such improvisation poses extreme risks of injury to passengers and undermines global aviation safety standards. The event is likely to prompt urgent reviews by both Air Congo and its major stakeholder, Ethiopian Airlines.
