Two Ugandan pilots kidnapped after ambush by gunmen in eastern DR Congo
The plane, which was reportedly expected to land at Kavumu Airport in Bukavu to transport Red Cross International staff to Entebbe, came under attack as it approached its destination.
What was meant to be a routine flight from Uganda to Bukavu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) turned into a nightmare when two pilots were ambushed, shot at and kidnapped by armed assailants.
According to the Daily Monitor, the two pilots were flying a plane from Uganda to Bukavu when they were attacked by unidentified gunmen last week on Thursday evening.
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The plane, which was reportedly expected to land at Kavumu Airport in Bukavu to transport Red Cross International staff to Entebbe, came under attack as it approached its destination.
Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu Province, lies on the southwestern peninsula of Lake Kivu, bordering Rwanda, approximately 750 kilometers from Uganda’s capital, Kampala.
The Daily Monitor sources indicated that the two pilots, a Ugandan and a South Sudanese national, were shot at and taken hostage. Reports suggest that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) had sought the services of Ocean Heights Aviation Training Centre in Entebbe to evacuate its staff working on humanitarian efforts in the war-torn region.
The ICRC is known for providing humanitarian assistance, protecting lives and alleviating suffering in conflict zones worldwide.
“On March 27, the pilots departed from Entebbe aboard an American-registered Cessna Caravan aircraft. However, as they neared Bukavu at dusk, unknown assailants opened fire. Despite the attack, the pilots managed to land the aircraft before being captured and taken to an undisclosed location. The kidnappers later contacted the pilots’ handlers in Kampala, demanding an undisclosed ransom for their release,” reports by the Daily Monitor read.
It added that the Ugandan contacts informed the pilots' families of the situation, assuring them that negotiations were underway to secure their safety.
Tragically, the Daily Monitor notes that the South Sudanese pilot succumbed to his gunshot wounds over the weekend.
Meanwhile, the Ugandan pilot sustained injuries but was successfully repatriated to Rwanda for treatment.
“By last evening, he was receiving medical care in an undisclosed location, with his family having been flown in to support his recovery. Details regarding his return to Uganda remained unclear at press time,” it said.
Both pilots were reportedly employed by Ocean Heights Aviation Training Centre, an aviation school based in Entebbe. The institution, approved by the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), provides both theoretical and practical pilot training. The school's website highlights its commitment to offering an exceptional learning experience to students from diverse cultural backgrounds.
UCAA spokesperson Vianney Luggya told the publication that the authority had not been formally informed of the incident but pledged to verify the details.
The eastern DRC remains volatile, with numerous armed militias operating in the region. In February, M23 rebels seized Bukavu after capturing Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province, in a rapid territorial expansion.
South Kivu Governor Jean-Jacques Purusi had previously confirmed to Reuters that Congolese troops had withdrawn from Bukavu to avoid urban combat.
The fall of Bukavu marks the most significant territorial gain by M23 rebels since their resurgence in 2022, further exacerbating instability in the mineral-rich region.
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