About 14 people were killed in a horrible plane crash near the outskirts of Juba, South Sudan’s capital, and the area was devastated in the time that followed.
The most recent account is that the plane crashed only minutes after takeoff in an area sparsely populated outside the city. Fire crews arrived on the scene, but no news of survivors aboard was relayed to police or rescue agents. Fourteen people died in the crash, officials said.
The total number of passengers as well as crew is still to be seen. Witnesses said they witnessed a huge explosion on the ground and smoke rising from the wreckage. Flames were put out, and firefighters and residents participated to help with the rescues. The crash was worse than any other aeroplane crash, and debris was strewn across the region.
Investigators are working to determine the cause of the crash in South Sudan. They say preliminary questions suggest some kind of technical failure, including bad weather, but they will have to investigate further before any conclusions can be drawn.
Aviation accidents are not uncommon either, particularly in the region, thanks to the challenges of ageing aircraft, infrastructure and a dangerous flying environment. Every tragedy raises new troubling questions about the standards of air safety and the oversight of regulation.
Officials said they would be investigating the deaths, and condolences were offered to the victims’ family members. “This is a sad loss,” an official said, “we will take appropriate actions to avoid creating a disaster such as this.”
The crash has underscored the issues facing air travel in less developed countries, where safety precautions are sometimes not guaranteed or readily made available. Rescue and recovery efforts are ongoing while the country mourns the loss of life in this awful incident.
