Child killed in Juba when aircraft strikes house

A 5-year-old girl was killed in Juba when a WFP-contracted aircraft struck a house while attempting to land during a thunderstorm on Tuesday.

A 5-year-old girl was killed in Juba when a WFP-contracted aircraft struck a house while attempting to land during a thunderstorm on Tuesday.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said in a statement that four other people, including two children, were also injured during the incident.

“We regret to report that a 5-year-old girl was confirmed dead at Juba Teaching Hospital where she was taken following the incident yesterday,” said WFP South Sudan Country Director Adnan Khan.

The UN agency extended its deepest condolences to the family and said it will provide all possible support to them in this terrible tragedy.

According to the statement, the cargo aircraft had been contracted by WFP to airdrop food in South Sudan. It explained that the plane hit a tree and then the metal roof of the single-storey house as it tried to land at Juba airport in heavy rain.

The plane then made an emergency landing at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda.

WFP said an official investigation is underway.