A Congolese airliner trying to take off with about 80 people aboard careened off a runway, bursting into flames and killing at least 21 people in a busy market neighbourhood.

A PLANE crashed yesterday into a crowded neighbourhood in eastern Congo, and at least 79 people were believed to have died, government officials said.

A Congolese jetliner carrying around 85 people failed to take off from an airport today, crashing at high speed into a busy market neighbourhood at the end of the runway, officials said.