Baby survived S.Sudan plane crash in man’s arms

The plane came down less than a kilometre from the end of the Juba runway and had just barely crossed the Nile River before disintegrating on impact at the river bank on the opposite side.

The crash killed at least 21 people in the village where the plane fell, according to the source.

Thirty-six people were confirmed dead in the crash, according to both South Sudan’s minister for transportation, Kuong Danhier Gatluak, and Maju Hilary of the South Sudan Red Cross.

Stephen Warikozi, who heads South Sudan’s Civil Aviation Authority, said the plane was not authorized to carry passengers.

“We have secured the site of crash and also we are in the stage of recovering bodies and black box”.

“We have an issue really about the drop in prices of oil on the global market which delays the country in getting the USA dollars”, Ateny said.

Two people were pulled from the wreckage alive but one of them died later leaving a young boy as the only survivor.

Only an infant survived the crash.

A police officer, who did not give his name because he was not authorised to speak to the media, told Reuters at the scene that at least 41 people died, but said the number could climb.

AFP also reported that a spokesman for Russia’s diplomatic mission in Uganda said they were in contact with South Sudanese officials over the plane crash.

Many parts of South Sudan, which became an independent nation in 2011, have been hit by violence since December 2013, with government forces loyal to President Salva Kiir battling rebels led by his former deputy, Riek Machar.

The war first broke out in Juba but for many months the capital has been peaceful.