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Plane Carrying 21 Crashes in South Sudan, Causing Some Injuries

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A plane that was carrying more than 20 people has crashed in the South Sudanese city of Wau, causing some injuries, but reportedly no deaths.

South Supreme Airlines, which operated the plane, said all 21 people on board were safely evacuated after the plane crashed Monday while attempting to land. It said some of the passengers are receiving treatment at Wau Hospital.

An aircraft engineer at the Wau airport, Paul Charles, said the plane tried to land in bad weather and hit a damaged truck on the side of the runway.

"Visibility is a problem at the center, so that's why it crashed," Charles told VOA's South Sudan in Focus. "The pilot I think was not seeing well, was not seeing the runway well."

He says the plane burst into flames after the crash.

Wau State Information Minister Bona Gaudensio confirmed there were some injured who were rushed to the Wau hospital, but did not give further details on their condition.

"Now we [are] just receiving patients and after one or two hours we will give information through the media," he told VOA.

South Supreme Airlines said the plane had been carrying 45 people, but said 24 passengers disembarked the plane at its first stop in Aweil town.

VOA’s John Tanza contributed to this report.

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