A small cargo aircraft crash-landed at an airstrip in Walgak town of Akobo County, Jonglei State, on Monday. All five people aboard, including two crewmembers, are safe.

Kuot John Akec, the director of Bor Airport, told Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday morning that the incident occurred when the small caravan aircraft belonging to Air Jet slid off the runway at the Walgak airstrip shortly after landing on Monday evening.

“The cargo aircraft with three local passengers and two Kenyan pilots left Juba for Walgak in Akobo at 2 pm. One hour later, it arrived in Walgak,” he narrated. “When the plane landed, the pilot tried to stop but the break failed. Thence, the pilot lost control. He avoided a building and then he tried to take off again but he could not and then he hit a tree.”

The state aviation official said all five people aboard the plane were rescued safely. “We learnt that only the plane was totally damaged. A team from Juba will visit the incident scene this morning to assess the situation,” he added.

Meanwhile, the state information minister, Elizabeth Nyadak Jok, also confirmed the incident, expressing gratitude that no one was killed in the crash. “The commercial plane was hired by some businessmen to take goods from Juba to Akobo. There were five people onboard. All of them are safe with only some minor injuries,” she noted.

John Chol, the Akobo County commissioner, said: “The plane had just landed then it crashed. Four people, a woman and three men, sustained minor injuries. The plane is damaged. The two Kenyan pilots are safe and they are here with us.” 

 Cases of planes crashing in the country have been on the rise recently, with the latest case being reported at Juba airport on 28 April.

South Sudan lacks a proper land transportation infrastructure, forcing people to move and transport goods by air.