A small passenger aircraft has crashed in South Sudan, killing all 14 people on board, according to the country’s civil aviation authority.
The Cessna 208 Caravan, operated by CityLink Aviation Ltd., went down on Monday morning while en route from Yei to the capital, Juba—a journey of about 130km.
Authorities said the plane took off at 09:15 local time (07:15 GMT), but air traffic control lost contact roughly 30 minutes into the flight. The aircraft later crashed around 20km south-west of Juba.
All 14 people on board—including the pilot and 13 passengers—were killed. Officials said the victims included 12 South Sudanese nationals and two Kenyans.
Investigators have been dispatched to the crash site, but early indications suggest the aircraft may have gone down due to adverse weather conditions, particularly low visibility, according to a statement from the South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority.
South Sudan, which gained independence in 2011, continues to face major challenges in aviation safety. The country’s limited transport infrastructure and weak regulatory oversight have contributed to a history of air accidents. More than 55 plane crashes were recorded in the decade following independence, many linked to aging aircraft, overloading, poor weather conditions and pilot error.
In January 2025, 20 oil workers were killed when a plane crashed shortly after take-off near oil fields in Unity State. One of the deadliest incidents occurred in November 2015, when an Antonov An-12 crashed near Juba airport, killing 41 people.
