5 dead after cargo plane crashed minutes after take off from Juba airport

A cargo plane crashed on Tuesday morning shortly after taking off from Juba International Airport  killing at least five (5) crew members including the pilot, according to several eyewitnesses.

The cargo plane belonging to Optimum Aviation LtD was taking goods to Maban County, Upper Nile State.

Kur Kuol, Director of the South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority said they are yet to establish the cause of the crash.

“It is true there was a plane crash, it was a cargo plane belonging to Optimum Aviation Company, it was going to Maban and on board there were 5 crew but we have not yet established the cause of plane crash,” Kuol told a Sudans Post reporter moments ago.

Kuol said the cargo plane went down immediately after taking off at 09:00AM JLT.

“The plane crashed far away from the airport and it is very difficult now for people to go to the scene. We tried to go by land but it is very difficult to cross because of the bridge,” he said.

He said the plane crashed East of the River Nile.

”The 5 people who were on the board probably may not survive. The UN officials fly by helicopter to the area and they are the people who will bring us good information,” he said.