By Deng Ghai Deng
South Sudan’s aviation authorities have confirmed a plane crash on Tuesday morning involving a private chartered aircraft.
Director of South Sudan Aviation Authority, John David said that the institution has set a team to investigate the crash.
“Until now, we do not have information on what actually went wrong. We have sent a team to investigate the incident, and they have yet to update my office,” David said.
According to the Aviation Authority, the plane departed from Juba and crash-landed at Lankien Airstrip in Nyirol County, Jonglei State.
“We are not yet informed on whether all the passengers are safe or not,” David said in a statement to this publication.
The crash adds to a growing list of aviation incidents in the country, raising safety concerns within the sector.
David highlighted that many recent accidents have been attributed to pilot error, rather than technical issues.
He urges aviation companies to ensure that their pilots are thoroughly vetted and fit for duty.
This crash follows a series of troubling aviation incidents in the country.
In August 2023, a private light aircraft crashed in the Mandeng area of Nasir County, injuring four people onboard.
In another incident just days earlier, on August 9, a United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) plane crash-landed at Malakal Airport, narrowly avoiding a major disaster with 35 people aboard.
A cargo aircraft chartered by the World Food Programme (WFP) caught fire on August 8 after landing in Pieri Payam, Uror County, Jonglei State, causing a deadly blaze that spread to nearby huts, killing three people and injuring others.
Other significant incidents this year include a military cargo plane crash at Yida Airstrip in March and a passenger aircraft crash-landing at Malakal Airport in February, both of which fortunately had no reported fatalities.
The deadliest recent crash occurred in August 2020, when a cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Juba International Airport, killing eight people, with only one survivor.
The series of aviation accidents in South Sudan is part of a broader trend that experts attribute to the country’s challenging road infrastructure, which makes air transport a crucial but risky mode of travel.
However, with increasing demand for flights and limited resources for aviation safety measures, aviation authority has called for greater oversight and accountability in the industry.