NAIROBI : The death toll from a plane that crashed into a densely populated neighborhood in Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday morning has risen to at least 24.

Jean Paul Lumbulumbu, the vice president of North Kivu’s parliament, said 24 bodies had been recovered from the rubble. A rescue worker, who asked not to be named, said 26 bodies had been found.

The aircraft, which was operated by local company Busy Bee, crashed shortly after take-off en route to the city of Beni, about 250 km (155 miles) to the north, North Kivu Governor Carly Nzanzu Kasivita’s office said in a statement.

(Agencies)