Passenger plane crashes at airport in South Sudan, 44 on board

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By BNO NEWS

A South Supreme Airlines plane flying from the South Sudanese capital of Juba has crashed at Wau Airport in the country’s northwest, witnesses say. At least 44 people are believed to have been on board the aircraft.

The accident happened at around 3 p.m. local time on Monday when the plane went down as it attempted to land at Wau Airport. Photos from the scene showed thick clouds of smoke billowing from a wreckage on what appears to be a runway.

According to initial reports, at least 44 people were on board the plane, which was flying from Juba to Wau. Witnesses reported that a number of people had been killed, but authorities could not immediately be reached to confirm the number of casualties.

A local official told the AFP news agency that at least 14 people had survived the crash and are being treated for injuries. Peacekeepers from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) are also at the scene to assist.

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