Overview
- A nighttime video shared on X shows travelers exiting an Air Congo Boeing 737-800 by jumping to the tarmac at Kindu Airport after waiting inside the aircraft for hours.
- Witnesses said no mobile stairs were available and reported that ground personnel directed passengers to use the forward L1 door to disembark.
- The 737’s forward door sits roughly 10 to 13 feet above ground, and initial reports noted no confirmed injuries despite the risky drop.
- Emergency slides were not deployed, with reporting citing the cost and operational delays associated with repacking or replacing slides in a remote location.
- Air Congo launched in December 2024 with Ethiopian Airlines as a partner and lessor, and the incident highlights persistent ground-handling and infrastructure gaps at smaller DRC airports.