Juba (AFP) - United Nations divers in South Sudan on Thursday searched the Nile for victims and the black box flight recorder from a plane crash in which at least 36 people died.
The Bangladeshi scuba divers, from the United Nations peacekeeping force, were scouring the White Nile river around the crash site, the UN mission said.
South Sudan's transport minister said they were trying to establish what caused Wednesday's crash, when the Soviet-era Antonov plane smashed into a river bank just after take-off from the capital Juba.
"Our main target now is to uncover all the dead bodies and the black box, and we can launch a full investigation into the crash," Kwong Danhir Gatluat said.
Police and rescue workers recovered the bodies of 36 men, women and children among the wreckage of the An-12 cargo plane, which crashed into a farming community on an island in the White Nile river, seconds after departure.
The main fuselage of the plane ploughed into thick woodland but the debris was scattered over a wide area around the riverbank, as well as into the river itself.
Police said they did not know how many had been on board the plane when it crashed -- nor if anyone had been killed or injured on the ground -- and so were unable to give an official death toll.
Cargo planes serving remote parts of South Sudan often carry passengers as well as goods, and are commonly overloaded.
Juba's airport is the busiest in the war-torn country, which is the size of Spain and Portugal combined but has only a few paved roads.
The airport hosts regular commercial flights, as well as a constant string of military aircraft and cargo planes delivering aid to remote regions cut off by road.
Newer articles:
- South Sudanese Bishop Samuel Peni visits local Episcopal church - 06/11/2015 04:26
- Witness: Infant survived S. Sudan plane crash cradled in stranger's arms - 05/11/2015 11:58
- South Sudan plane crash baby 'conscious' in Juba - 05/11/2015 09:09
- South Sudan’s crashed plane was in no condition to fly, says maker - 05/11/2015 09:00
- Crashed cargo plane wasn’t allowed to carry passengers: South Sudan official - 05/11/2015 02:38
Older news items
- South Sudan Replaces State Oil Company Head to Fix Fuel Crisis - 04/11/2015 21:00
- AU welcomes agreement by South Sudan parties on security arrangement - 04/11/2015 16:52
- South Sudan wracked by weapons buildup, rapes, killings: UN - 04/11/2015 15:47
- Russian plane crash: 41 dead in South Sudan as pilot hailed a hero - 04/11/2015 12:17
- South Sudan rivals boosting weapons stockpiles: U.N. experts - 04/11/2015 10:46
Latest news items (all categories):
- The Emerging Endgame of the Russo-Ukrainian War - 05/08/2026 22:59
- The changing face of “Made in China” - 05/08/2026 22:41
- UK - Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to South Sudan: Rebecca Fabrizi - 05/08/2026 22:09
- South Sudan rewriting its future with eyes on agriculture and mining boom - 05/08/2026 21:53
- Moroccan king's letter confirms naming of major highway in honour of Trump - 05/08/2026 21:52
Random articles (all categories):
- South Sudan oil pipeline leak affects wide area - 09/10/2019 04:35
- US threatens South Sudan with deep aid cuts - 11/12/2025 14:14
- Sudan and South violate border agreement, deploy forces in buffer zone - 18/06/2013 23:16
- Deadly South Sudan revenge attack - 13/01/2012 09:21
- Mediator proposes new "compromise" peace plan for South Sudan - 26/06/2015 02:41
Popular articles:
- Who is the darkest person in the world, according to Guinness World Record? - 25/10/2022 02:34 - Read 148340 times
- School exam results in South Sudan show decline - 01/04/2012 17:58 - Read 27923 times
- Top 10 weakest currency exchange rates in Africa in 2023 - 19/07/2023 00:24 - Read 25007 times
- No oil in troubled waters - 25/03/2014 15:02 - Read 24330 times
- NDSU student from South Sudan receives scholarship - In-Forum - 29/09/2012 01:44 - Read 22287 times
