A plane crash in South Sudan’s Unity State has killed at least 20 people, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
The aircraft went down near the oil fields in Unity State at about 10:30 a.m. local time (0830 GMT) shortly after taking off for the capital, Juba.
“The plane crashed 500 metres from the airport. There were 21 people on board, and for now, only one person has survived,” Unity State’s Minister for Information, Gatwech Bipal Both, told AFP.
The plane was chartered by the Greater Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC) and operated by Light Air Services Aviation Company. It was on a routine mission to the area when the accident happened.
“The state government is in deep sorrow over this accident,” Both said, adding that an investigation would be carried out. “Although most people predict that this might be a mechanical issue,” he added.
South Sudan, which gained independence in 2011, has struggled with transport infrastructure, and plane crashes are often linked to overloading and poor weather conditions.
