Kampala — A Rwandan woman was killed and four Ugandans were injured when an Air Rwanda plane rammed into the terminal at Kanombe airport in Kigali yesterday, reports Hellen Mukiibi.

The Ugandan passengers, including former finance minister Gerald Sendawula and managers of Picfare Industries, were rushed to King Faisal Hospital in Kigali with injuries.

Jobanputra Kishor, the chairman of Picfare, was last evening evacuated to South Africa. The medics in Kigali had earlier admitted him in the intensive care unit because he complained of chest pain and breathing difficulties .

Uganda's ambassador to Kigali, Richard Kabonero, who rushed to the scene, said all Ugandans were out of danger.

"Most of them sustained cuts and have received treatment. I will book them in a hotel after they are discharged this evening," he said.

Picfare director Richard Mubiru told The New Vision on phone that their flight from Kigali to Entebbe took off promptly at 1:00pm.

"After 15 minutes in the air, the pilot announced that the aircraft had a mechanical fault and that he had decided to go back," he narrated.

After they had landed and arranged to disembark, the plane started moving, Mubiru said.

"There was panic in the cockpit because the pilot could not control the speed at which the aircraft was moving. There was confusion, we scampered for our lives."

He said the pilot had no choice but to ram the plane into the terminal.

"The plane came to a halt and we all rushed for the emergency exits. I managed to open the exit next to me and jumped out. We feared the aircraft would catch fire since there was fuel everywhere."

Rwanda's information minister Louise Mushikiwabo said the flight got technical difficulties and crashed into the VIP lounge.

A medical source at Kigali's King Hospital said the pilot was in a critical condition.