Small passenger plane crash lands in South Sudan

The Let-410 aircraft crash landed at Maatok, Kolnyang County of Jonglei, 12km south of Bor Airport. PHOTO | COURTESY | MARTIN MAJIER

What you need to know:

  • Small passenger plane on its way to Juba makes emergency landing in Bor.
  • The Let L410 aircraft had been hired by two Sudanese traders based in Juba to ferry cargo to Walgak.
  • Bor Town Mayor Martin Majier cited bad weather conditions for the accident.

A small passenger plane crash landed in Bor, Jonglei State in South Sudan, injuring those on board on Monday.

According to Bor Town Mayor Martin Majier, the plane was on its way back to the capital Juba when it made an emergency landing at Maatok, Kolnyang County of Jonglei, 12km south of Bor Airport at 1pm.

Dr Majier told Nation that of the four people on board, two were passengers and the others crew members.

“All of whom survived and are being treated at UNMISS - Bor SRIMED Level 2 Hospital for various non-life-threatening injuries,” he added.

Dr Majier said the crew members were a Burundian pilot and his Congolese co-pilot.

The Let-410 aircraft, a Czech-made short-range twin turboprop that normally carries up to 19 passengers, had been hired by two Sudanese traders based in Juba to ferry cargo to Walgak.

“The first responders were the locals, who rescued the passengers," he said adding that authorities deployed soon after.

United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Sri-Lankan medical team was also dispatched to the crash site.

Dr Majier cited bad weather conditions for the accident.

“As of 9pm, the patients were all in stable condition under the care of the UNMISS medical personnel, and their families and transport company notified. A team of investigators and company personnel will arrive in Bor tomorrow (Tuesday) to investigate this accident,” said the Bor Mayor.

INCIDENTS

In April this year, an airplane operated by the South West Aviation crashed in Eastern Lake State killing 20 people among them prominent Anglican bishop.

In 2015, a Russian-built cargo plane crashed at the bank of river Nile shortly after take-off from Juba International Airport, killing dozens of people on board.
The government has in the past cited bad weather conditions as causes of plane crashes in the country.