A Congolese airplane crashed yesterday into a crowded market district in the eastern city of Goma, leaving at least 33 people killed and more than 80 injured.

The plane, a Hewa Bora Airways McDonnell Douglas DC-9, was initially grounded due to bad weather and the incident happened soon after the abort call was made.

According to the Associated Press, Dirk Cramers, a spokesman for the private Congolese company Hewa Bora Airways, said, "The crew managed to save the majority of the passengers with the help of the U.N. peacekeepers.” Rescue workers used all equipment available, including tractors, trucks and shovels to search for survivors.

All the people injured were taken by the Red Cross to local hospitals and clinics for immediate medical assistance.

President Joseph Kabila gave a statement expressing his condolences to all involved in the incident and also called for a complete official investigation in order to determine the circumstances of the crash.

Goma airport and also many other Congolese flight companies have suffered several accidents in the past, making the country stand out with one of the world’s worst air safety records. Just last week, the European Union banned Congo’s Hewa Bora Airways from flying in the 27-nation bloc over safety related concerns, according to the New York Times.

The DC-9 aircraft has been involved in several incidents over the years, including ValuJet Flight 2553, which on May 11, 1996, led to the death of all 110 people on board. In January 2007, a Northwest Airlines DC-9 went off the runway after one of the engines exploded. No victims were reported as the plane was still on the ground preparing to leave Milwaukee.