2 Chinese nationals, 1 Indian and 17 others killed in South Sudan plane crash

A plane has crashed in the north of South Sudan killing at least 20 people, leaving only one confirmed survivor, Unity State’s minister for information said on Wednesday.

The aircraft came down near the oilfields in Unity State at around 10.30am soon after taking off for the capital Juba.

“The plane crashed 500 metres (1,600 feet) away from the airport,” Gatwech Bipal Both said. “21 people were on board. As for now, there’s only one survivor.”

The survivor, a South Sudanese engineer working at the oilfield, has been rushed to Bentiu State hospital, the minister said.

He said the aircraft, chartered by the Greater Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC) and operated by Light Air Services Aviation Company, was on a routine mission to the area. GPOC is a consortium that includes China National Petroleum Corporation and state-owned Nile Petroleum Corporation.

“The state government is in a deep sorrow by this accident”, he added, saying there would be an investigation. “Although most people predicted that this might be a mechanical collision,” he added, without giving more details.