19 dead in plane crash in Republic of Congo

BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo -- At least 19 people were killed when a cargo plane crashed into a densely populated Republic of Congo neighborhood, the country's civil aviation director said.

Michel Ambende said many more people were wounded in Monday's crash. He did not say what may have caused the crash, but said authorities were investigating.

The Antonov 32 -- owned by private company Trans Air Congo (TAC) -- crashed in the Mvoumvou area of Pointe-Noire, the country's economic capital, burying several houses in debris.

Marc Ibata Ngassaki, a cameraman for state-owned television, said the pilot was able to get of the cockpit before the plane came to a rest.

Ambulances and medical personnel raced to the scene.

The Republic of Congo is often overshadowed by its much larger neighbor, Congo -- the scene of numerous crashes involving aging Soviet planes.

In October 2007, at least 50 people were killed in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, when an Antonov 26 crashed during takeoff. In 2008 a DC-9 passenger plane overshot the runway in Goma in the country's east, killing at least 44 people.