Juba, South Sudan, 21 May 2021 – The South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority has ordered all airline companies operating Antonov An-26 to stop operation until the government conducts an investigation.
This decision followed an incident in which an Antonov AN-26 cargo plane made an emergency landing at Juba International Airport yesterday after one of its propellers fell off midair.
Eyewitnesses said the single propeller plugged off in the sky and nearly hit ARC engineers working at the construction of Bor – Juba Road. However, the plane landed near Cuei-keer Boma, East of Bor County in Jonglei State.
Kur Kuol, the Director of Juba International Airport confirmed to the media that, the official destination where the plane supposed to land was Paloch in Upper Nile state but made a U-turn instantly after the propeller fell off and decided to land in Juba.
He believes the mechanics may have not checked properly the airworthiness of the plane before it took off.
The CEO of the Civil Aviation Authority has now issued a decision, banning all Antonov cargo flights from operating until the government undertakes deep investigative measures.
“I issued that order after the incident of that Antonov propeller which is said to have fallen off. They have to immediately cease operation until further investigation is done,” David Subek told reporters yesterday.
Two months ago, South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority promised that it would screen all aircraft operators in the country to minimize the recurrence of plane crashes.
South Sudan airplanes are crashing frequently from time to time due to poor follow-up from Civil Aviation Authority on poorly-serviced airlines allowed by the government to operate in the country.
In March this year, a plane ferrying humanitarian workers crashed at an airstrip in Jonglei State, killing 10 people, including two pilots.
