At least 20 people have been confirmed dead after a plane crashed in northern South Sudan, with only one survivor, according to Unity State’s minister for information, Gatwech Bipal Both.
The crash occurred near oil fields in Unity State shortly after the aircraft took off for the capital, Juba, at around 10:30 a.m. local time (0830 GMT).
The Ukrainian passenger aircraft, which was chartered by the Greater Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC) and operated by Light Air Services Aviation Company, went down about 500 meters from the airport. There were 21 people on board at the time of the crash, with only one South Sudanese engineer working at the oil field surviving the ordeal. He has been rushed to Bentiu State hospital.
READ ALSO: IATA seeks probe of Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash
The flight was on a routine mission to the area, and the South Sudanese government has expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation, with some speculating that it may have been a mechanical failure. However, no further details have been provided.
The passengers onboard were employees of GPOC, with 16 South Sudanese nationals, two Chinese nationals, and one Indian national confirmed among the victims. The wreckage, which has been shared on social media, shows the crumpled aircraft upside down in a field with debris scattered across the area.
South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, has faced political and economic instability since its inception. The country has a poor transport infrastructure, and air accidents, often attributed to overloading or weather conditions, are common. In 2021, a cargo plane crashed near Juba, killing five people, and a 2015 crash in the same city killed 36.
