THE Presidency has refuted rumours that Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe’s plane crash landed in the Democratic Republic of Congo while returning from a summit in Libya.

Reuters today reported that a plane carrying Motlanthe back from a summit in Libya made an emergency landing on an unlit runway in northern Congo after missing a fuel stop.

Presidential spokesman Vusi Mona said the rumours of the crash landing were greatly exaggerated."The plane was due to land in Bangui in the Central Africa Republic for refuelling. Due to bad weather (there), the plane was unable to land and was diverted to Gbadolite in the DRC," he said.

He said Motlanthe was returning from Libya where he was leading a South African delegation to the special session of the Assembly of African Union.

Reuters quoted DRC transport minister Matthieu Pita saying "they (SA delegation) had just 35 minutes of fuel remaining, so they couldn’t go any further. The pilot took the risk, and thank God everything went well. There were no injuries and no damage."

By The Times (SA)