A plane crashed southwest of South Sudan’s capital Juba on Monday, killed all 14 people on board, the country’s civil aviation authority said.
The aircraft, a Cessna 208 Caravan operated by CityLink Aviation, lost communication while flying from Yei to Juba International Airport, the aviation authority said in a statement.
“The South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority (SSCAA) confirms that an aircraft crash occurred approximately 20km southwest of Juba today. The aircraft involved was a Cessna 208 Caravan, registration 5Y-NOK, operated by CityLink Aviation Ltd. The aircraft departed Yei enroute to Juba International Airport at 09:15am and lost communication at 09:43am. There were 13 passengers and one pilot (Captain) on board (POB), two Kenyan nationals and 12 South Sudanese nationals. Unfortunately, there were no survivors,” reads the statement in part.
It said the plane took off at 0915 local time and lost contact at 0943. There were 13 passengers and a pilot onboard, including two Kenyan nationals and 12 South Sudanese nationals.
Preliminary reports suggested the aircraft may have crashed in bad weather, particularly low visibility, the statement said.
“Preliminary reports indicate that the aircraft may have crashed due to adverse weather conditions, particularly low visibility. The SSCAA response team has been dispatched to the site to gather information and support emergency and recovery efforts,” the statement adds.
South Sudan has a history of frequent aviation accidents due to factors such as aging aircraft, overloading, and challenging weather conditions coupled with limited infrastructure.