A small passenger plane crashed in South Sudan approximately 20 km southwest of Juba on 27 April 2026, claiming the lives of all on board.
According to the South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority (SSCAA), 14 people were killed — comprising 13 passengers and one pilot — though some reports suggest the death toll could be as high as 15. Among the deceased were two Kenyan nationals whose identities have not yet been released.
The aircraft, a Cessna 208 Caravan (registration 5Y-NOK) operated by CityLink Aviation Ltd, departed Yei at 9:15 am. and was scheduled to land at Juba International Airport. Communication was lost at 9:43 am. Witnesses and social media footage indicate the plane crashed in mountainous, misty terrain and caught fire, with some sources suggesting the aircraft struck a mountain due to low visibility.
The SSCAA has deployed recovery teams to the site, and a formal investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the tragedy.
This is the first plane crash of the year. The most recent crashes in South Sudan occurred on 25 November 2025, when a small cargo/charter aircraft (operated by Nari Air) carrying food aid for Samaritan’s Purse crashed near Leer airstrip, Unity State, killing three crew members; and on 29 January 2025, when a Beechcraft 1900 (chartered by Light Air Services and operated by Eagle Air) crashed in Unity State shortly after takeoff, killing about 20 of the 21 people on board.
There have been many incidents involving small commercial, charter, humanitarian/UN, and military aircraft rather than large international airliners. Frequent contributors include sudden storms and poor visibility, runway conditions, poor airport infrastructure, limited air traffic control, aging or poorly maintained aircraft, conflict-related hazards (military activity, hostile terrain), and constrained regulatory/inspection capacity.
