A PLANE that crashed into a market in the Democratic Republic of Congo, killing at least 37 people, developed engine trouble after going through water on the runway, aviation sources said yesterday.

As rescuers battled to put out the final flames of the DC-9 jet crash in Goma, capital of the eastern province of Nord-Kivu, airport sources said the troubles started as the jet hurtled toward its take-off.

The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, quoted the Hewa Bora Airlines crew as saying the plane developed mechanical problems after going through a puddle on the runway. They said the pilot decided to carry on before suddenly braking and losing control.

The runway at Goma airport was damaged by lava during a 2002 eruption of a nearby volcano. The lava flow had reduced the runway by a third and aviation officials said planes now had to make short takeoffs.

Stavros Papaioannou of Hewa Bora Airlines said the crew had heard an explosion in the rear as the plane built up speed.

“It needed to reach 126 knots to take off,” the Bora chief said. “The pilot braked, but the runway was wet, the aircraft skidded and he lost control.”

Papaioannou said there were 79 passengers and six crew on board. “We know that there were seven expatriates on board including four Americans, none of whom was killed,” he added.

Another survivor, a woman who was also hospitalized in Goma’s Heal Africa health facility, praised the pilot, saying he had opened all the emergency exits just after the crash, thereby saving a lot of lives.

(SD-Agencies)