United Nations Radio

Personnel from the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) have rushed to assist victims of a plane crash today in the northeastern part of the country.

More than 70 passengers were on board the commercial flight which crashed at take-off in the town of Goma. Initial reports say at least seven people have survived the crash, including the flight crew and several UN staff.

MONUC chief Alan Doss (photo), who is in New York for a Security Council meeting, said he was disturbed by the news.

"Some of our UN colleagues were on board that flight, so that is very, very troubling to us. We'll have to get more details, but I know that our MONUC team and others on the ground in Goma are actively helping with the rescue efforts."

MONUC, the UN mission in the DRC, has dispatched first-aid teams with ambulance and fire crews to the site. UN medical teams are also helping to evacuate victims to a UN hospital.

For UN Radio, I'm Dianne Penn.

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