Plane overshoots runway, on fire in east Congo-UN

GOMA, Congo, Sept 7 (Reuters) A cargo plane overshot the runway and caught fire while landing in the eastern Congolese town of Goma today, UN officials said.

''An Antonov overshot the runway at Goma airport and caught fire.

It is on fire right now,'' an official from the UN mission in Democratic Republic of Congo said. There was no immediate word on casualties.

The accident happened amid an increase in aircraft movements around Goma as UN-backed government troops battle fighters loyal to renegade General Laurent Nkunda in clashes which have forced thousands of refugees to flee.

Air travel is notoriously dangerous in Democratic Republic of Congo, with ageing planes suffering from a lack of maintenance and spare parts, but it is often the only way to transport people and goods across the vast central African country.

An Antonov carrying tin ore crashed and burst into flames shortly after takeoff in the eastern Katanga province late last month, killing 13 people on board.

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