On January 29, 2025, a devastating plane crash occurred in the Unity State of South Sudan, claiming the lives of 20 individuals. The incident left only one survivor. The Beechcraft 1900D, operated by Light Air Services, was ferrying oil workers from the Greater Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC) to the capital, Juba. The crash took place shortly after takeoff, around 547 yards from the Unity oilfield runway at approximately 10:30 a.m.
The Beechcraft 1900D, a twin-turboprop aircraft, began production in 1991. It was an evolution from the Beech 1900, which took its inaugural flight in 1982.
The doomed flight was carrying 21 individuals, including 19 passengers and two crew members. The passengers comprised 16 South Sudanese nationals, 2 Chinese nationals, and 1 Indian national. The crew members were both from Uganda. All those onboard were linked with GPOC, a consortium involving the China National Petroleum Corporation and South Sudan’s Nile Petroleum Corporation.
Initial reports by the United Nations Radio Miraya stated 18 fatalities. However, later updates confirmed that two of the injured victims had died, increasing the death toll to 20.
Social media photos depicted the plane wreckage upside down in a field, with debris strewn around the crash site. Some images showed a body sticking out from the mangled fuselage.
The Beechcraft 1900D had safely landed earlier at the Unity oilfield, carrying a senior official from GPOC. After boarding engineers and technical staff for the return flight to Juba, the aircraft crashed three minutes post-takeoff, crashing into a bush-clad area and suffering significant damage.
In the aftermath of the crash, President Salva Kiir expressed deep sorrow and called for an immediate investigation. The National Minister of Transport, Madut Biar Yel, announced that an air crash investigation team would conduct an exhaustive inspection of the crash site and gather evidence to determine the cause. The team intends to recover the aircraft’s black box and voice recorder and send them for analysis to the manufacturer’s laboratory in the United States.
Several plane crashes have occurred in South Sudan in recent years, causing concerns over aviation safety. In 2015, a cargo plane crashed near Juba International Airport, leading to 41 deaths.
In 2021, a cargo aircraft carrying fuel for the United Nations’ World Food Programme crashed near Juba, resulting in five fatalities.
In 2018, another tragic plane crash near the Yirol airstrip in Lakes State led to the demise of 20 individuals, including a bishop. As per data from the Aviation Safety Network, at least 87 individuals have lost their lives in various plane crashes.
Light Air Services, the operator of the crashed aircraft, is based in Juba and manages a fleet of five aircraft. As per the company’s website, it has been operational for 13 years, providing aviation services within South Sudan.
The Greater Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC) consortium, for whom the victims worked or were associated, is involved in petroleum exploration and production activities within South Sudan, especially in the Unity oilfields.
South Sudan, which achieved independence in 2011, still grapples with economic and infrastructural challenges, including a lack of sufficient aviation safety oversight.
