Two perish in South Sudan plane crash

November 14, 2014 (JUBA/BOR) – Two crew members died and another was injured when a cargo plane crashed in South Sudan’s Jonglei state on Friday.

“The plane came down at 9:00 am [local time] and set huts ablaze injuring several other people. Nobody died on the ground,” an eyewitness told Sudan Tribune by phone.

“The plane approached Panyagor air strip, but it did not land on the first round. It then went around and appeared like landing, but started staggering in the sky,” he added.

The plane, hired by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), was ferrying relief items for the displaced people at the county headquarters.

Jonglei’s information minister, Judy Jonglei separately confirmed the cargo plane mishap.

“I heard that the plane was trying to land [but] before it came down, it was already in flames and immediately broke into two parts. The pilot and co-pilot died”, he told Sudan Tribune by phone.

LWF officials could not immediately be reached for a comment.

In August this year, a United Nations cargo helicopter crashed in Unity state, killing three people.

(ST)