Cargo plane crashes in Sudan, seven crew killed

KHARTOUM, Feb 3, 2005 (Reuters) – A Sudanese cargo plane crashed outside the capital Khartoum on Thursday, killing one Sudanese and six people from former Soviet states in eastern Europe, Civil Aviation Minister Ali Tamim Fartak said.

Sudanese radio said the dead included six Russians. It described the aircraft as a U.N. plane on its way to Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast.

“It was a cargo plane coming with goods. Before it could land in Khartoum it crashed … Seven crew members were killed — six foreigners and one Sudanese,” Fartak told Reuters.

The plane, coming from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates and probably carrying aid, was due to land in Khartoum before heading on to Nyala in South Darfur state, he said. It belonged to a private Sudanese company called Air West, he added.

The plane crashed around 9 a.m. (0600 GMT) about 50 km (30 miles) outside the capital in the desert. Rescue and investigation teams were at the site.

In May last year 14 people including 12 children died in an aid plane crash in southern Sudan. In July 2003 a Sudan Airways plane crashed near Port Sudan, killing 115 people.

At least 70,000 people have died from killings or disease in Sudan’s Darfur region since March and 1.8 million people are homeless after a pro-government militia campaign.