A Safe Air Boeing 727-200F cargo plane, registation 5Y-IRE, collided with a MD-82 at Malakal Airfield in South Sudan on 31st March.

The B727 broke into two parts after the incident, which occurred while it was attempting to land at the airport. The cargo aircraft reportedly ran off the side of the runway, colliding with the MD-82, which had been involved in another incident, resulting in the collapse of the B727’s undercrarriage.

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The MD-82 had been involved in a previous incident that had left it unable to move, having suffered substansital damage when it landed short of the runway in February, resulting in the collapse of the main gear.”

All seven people on board were reported safe after the incident but the status of the cargo is unknown.

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“A large cargo plane landed and crashed at our airport at 11 am,”  Bol Mijok Lual, Malakal Airfield’s acting airport general manager, told Radio Tamazuj.

“The plane landed a few meters outside the runway, causing its tires to burst and turn inside out. As a result, the plane lost control and hit a plane that had previously crashed.

“Seven people were aboard the plane, including six crew members. They are all in good condition, but one person sustained injuries.”

An investigation is reportedly underway to dermine the cause of the crash.