DRC Congo: A commercial plane crashed in the eastern city of Goma, killing at least 18 people.

The Dornier-228, operated by local airline Busy Bee, crashed while taking off to Beni, northeastern Congo, 350 km from Goma, North Kivu Carly Nzanzu State Governor's office Kasivita, said.

Rescuers say they have pulled at least 18 bodies from the rubble on the scene of a crowded residential area near Goma airport.

Aviation crashes occur quite frequently in the Congo because of lax safety standards and poor maintenance. All Congolese air carriers, including Busy Bee, are banned from operating in the European Union (EU).

In October, an aircraft also departed from Goma airport about an hour after taking off, killing all eight people on board. In July 2011, a plane crash of Hewa Bora Airlines at Kisangani Airport left more than 50 dead. The plane crashed while landing in bad weather.