Upper Nile authorities seek burial land for plane victims
November 5, 2015 (JUBA) – Authorities in South Sudan’s Upper Nile state have requested Central Equatoria state officials to avail land to bury victims of Wednesday’s place crash.
Some sources in the aviation industry attributed it to “overloading” while claimed the plane was old and had some technical issues, which were not verified by authorities.
“I was watching when the pilot shook his head as the plane was being loaded and was about to take off. I asked him why, he said no problem. I told one of the colleagues that this plane has been overloaded and this could be the reason the pilot was trying to say. He said no problem. They have been going like that. I said okay, we will see and just after less than 2 minutes after taking off I heard the news of the crash and the friend who said no problem called and said you were right. Now the plane has crashed,” an aviation personnel told Sudan Tribune Thursday when asked to comment on the mishap.
The official, who asked not to be named, said he personally counted 50 people who were meant to use the aircraft before he went to attend to other matters at the airport.
“I accounted 50 people before I was called”, the official said, furthing adding, “There were other people standing around. This was unusual number. Normally we allow this same plane to take between 10 and 16 people to go with cargoes. This number increased and I asked will this plane take these people in addition to cargoes, people said yes, it will and the pilot kept quiet. He did not complain of overloading”.
Upper Nile’s information minister, Daniel Yor Akec said the state government had written to the government of central Equatoria state asking for a land for burial of the victims.
“We have written to the government of central Equatoria state to give a piece of land for burial of the victims. Our governor, General Chol Thon has spoken to the governor of central Equatoria state about this. We are asking for a land to allow us burry these people who have lost their lives due to the crash, said Akech. He said 17 people from Pigi County, 7 from Melut, 2 from Akoka and 1 from Renk and another 1 from Baliet counties were among those who have died in the crash,” Akec told Sudan Tribune.
“This is a result of the current war. The people who have died were those who fled the conflict and came to Juba and they were [now] returning to their families now that it seems the security situation is improving”, he added.
(ST)