Written by: Qusay Ahmed

The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed in South SudanOn Monday, a small passenger plane crashed about 20 kilometers southwest of the capital Juba, in a tragic accident that killed all passengers and crew on board.

South Sudan announces a comprehensive investigation into the causes of the plane crash.

The authority explained in a statement that the aircraft was a Cessna 208 Caravan with registration number 5Y-NOK, belonging to City Link Aviation, and was on a regular domestic flight from Yei to Juba International Airport.

According to the statement, the plane took off at 9:15 a.m., before contact was lost with it about 28 minutes later, specifically at 9:43 a.m., without receiving any prior distress call.

The statement indicated that the plane was carrying 14 people, including the pilot and 13 passengers, explaining that the passengers included citizens of South Sudan in addition to two passengers holding Kenyan nationality, confirming that there were no survivors in the accident.

Regarding the causes of the accident, initial estimates issued by the Civil Aviation Authority indicated that bad weather conditions were likely the main factor behind the disaster, especially given the low visibility in the area at the time of the accident, which may have affected the pilot's ability to follow the safe flight path.

The statement added that the competent authorities rushed to send emergency and rescue teams to the site of the plane crash, with the aim of gathering field information, assisting in response operations, and submitting accurate technical reports on the circumstances of the accident.

The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that it has begun a comprehensive investigation in cooperation with the relevant authorities, including examining the flight log, weather conditions, and recent communications with the crew, to determine the exact causes of the accident.

Condolences and sympathy

In closing, the authority expressed its sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and their relatives, stressing its full commitment to informing the public of any developments as soon as confirmed information becomes available, and in a manner that ensures complete transparency in dealing with the incident.

This incident brings back to the forefront concerns about flight safety on some domestic flights, especially in light of climate challenges and weak operational infrastructure in a number of regions.