5 Injured In South Sudan Plane Crash

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – At least five people on Tuesday sustained injuries when a cargo plane crashed while landing at Agok Airstrip in the Abyei Administrative Area disputed between the border of Sudan and South Sudan.

Kuol Diem Kuol, Chief Administrator of Abyei Administrative Area, told Xinhua that the Antonov 26 plane, owned by the Ministry of Defence, was delivering primary eight examination papers from Juba when it crashed upon landing on the runway.

Diem said the plane had already distributed examination materials in Bentiu town of Unity State, and was destined to deliver more examination materials to Rumbek town of Lakes State.

The national primary school examination is expected to commence on Feb. 14.

Awut Deng Acuil, South Sudan Minister of General Education and Instruction, confirmed the incident, adding that the examination papers were now in safe custody of the police.

Several planes have crashed in recent years in South Sudan.

In 2018, 19 people were killed when a small aircraft carrying passengers from Juba to Yirol crashed.

In March 2020, a cargo plane also crashed in the north-eastern Jonglei State, leaving 10 killed.

The latest accident in November 2021 left five people killed when a cargo plane crashed in the Maban area of the Upper Nile State.

NAN