A small passenger plane crashed in South Sudan on Monday morning, killing all 15 people on board, according to the country's civil aviation authority (SSCAA).
The aircraft, a Cessna 208 Caravan operated by CityLink Aviation Ltd, was en route from Yei to Juba, a distance of about 130km (80 miles). It took off at 09:15 local time (07:15 GMT) and lost contact with air traffic control approximately 30 minutes into the flight.
Initial reports suggest the crash may have been caused by adverse weather conditions, particularly low visibility, the SSCAA said in a statement. A team has been dispatched to the crash site, located about 20km (12 miles) south-west of the capital, Juba, for investigations.
Among the victims were 13 South Sudanese nationals and two Kenyans, according to the passenger manifest. The pilot and 14 passengers were all killed.
South Sudan, the world's youngest country, has a poorly developed transport network and a troubled aviation safety record. Over 55 planes have crashed in the country since independence in 2011, resulting in dozens of fatalities. Common causes include old aircraft, weak regulatory compliance, overloading, poor weather, and pilot error.
In January 2025, 20 oil workers died when their aircraft crashed three minutes after take-off near the oil fields of Unity state. The country's worst aviation disaster occurred in November 2015, when an Antonov plane crashed near Juba airport, killing 41 people.