Photo taken on March 20, 2017 shows a crashed plane at Wau Airport, northern South Sudan. All 43 passengers and six crew members have survived the plane crash that occurred in the northern South Sudan town of Wau on Monday afternoon, local authorities have confirmed. (Xinhua/Ma Qingfeng)
All 43 passengers and six crew members have survived the plane crash that occurred in the northern South Sudan town of Wau on Monday afternoon, local authorities have confirmed.
Wau State Information Minister Nona Guadenesio said 37 passengers were admitted to hospital and 31 have so far been discharged, with the remaining ones in stable conditions.
He added that the accident was caused by poor visibility that led to a collision between the plane and a firefighter truck during landing.
"All passengers and crew members are alive. The hospital received 37 people with injuries but now 31 have gone home and six are left but in stable conditions," Guadenesio said.
Presidential Spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny announced on state-owned radio that the injured will be transported to Juba to receive advanced medical care.
The passenger aircraft crashed at South Sudan's Wau Airport and burst into flames at around 3:30 p.m. local time. The plane was travelling from the South Sudanese Capital Juba to the northern town of Wau. Local media reported that the plane was owned by South Supreme Airlines.
The airport is near the location of Chinese peacekeepers at Wau. After the accident, the Chinese peacekeepers hurried to the spot to help rescue people and put out the fire with water trucks.
