Three people killed in a helicopter crash in southeastern Congo

By JEAN-YVES KAMALE
Associated Press

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Local authorities say that three people have been killed in a helicopter crash in southeastern Congo. The helicopter crashed at noon on Monday and was found in a ravine in the cobalt-rich mining province of Lualaba. The victims were subcontractors for the Boss Mining company and included a South African, who was head of the G4S security company, his Polish deputy and the French pilot. The cause of the crash is not yet known. The bodies have been taken to a morgue in nearby Lubumbashi city. The mineral-rich country is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, used to make lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. Congo is also Africa’s top producer of copper.