Plane smashes into fire truck at South Sudan airport (VIDEO, PHOTOS)
At least four passengers were injured when their plane struck a fire truck at an airport in Wau, South Sudan.
Bad weather reportedly caused the South Supreme Airlines plane to crash into the vehicle upon landing on Monday, subsequently bursting into flames.
Plane with 44 passengers crashed in Wau Airport, South Sudan https://t.co/GFinxJ9wPzpic.twitter.com/1nJXSEfG0S via @LesNewspic.twitter.com/k2xxjM4fPa
— Liveuamap (@Liveuamap) 20 March 2017
"The aircraft landed safe... but because of bad weather, the plane missed the line and hit a truck belonging to the fire brigade," Gabriel Ngang Maduok, a station manager with the carrier told Reuters.
READ MORE: Cargo plane crash-lands in S. Sudan, 41 reported dead
Initially, local reports speculated that all 44 passengers were feared dead as photos of the wreckage, shared by eyewitnesses, spread on social media. Images from the scene showed the smoking charred wreckage of the plane fuselage and the intact tail.
Four people, including one crew member, were hospitalized over their injuries.
#WAU: Photos of Burned Out South Supreme Airlines Plane Which Crashed in Wau Today. #SSudan#SouthSudanpic.twitter.com/LHk27r9v6m
— The National Courier (@Nation_Courier) March 20, 2017
#WAU: Tail Of Crashed South Supreme Airlines Plane. #SouthSudan#SSudanpic.twitter.com/eA2mC6BEvU
— The National Courier (@Nation_Courier) March 20, 2017
The flight was traveling to Wau from the South Sudanese capital, Juba, a local official told the BBC.
Updates: 9 people reportedly pulled out from the debris alive; rushed to the hospital #SouthSudan Wau plane crash
— Eye Radio Juba (@EyeRadioJuba) March 20, 2017
#WAU: Further Photos of South Supreme Airlines Plane Crash. 44 feared dead. #SouthSudan#SSudanpic.twitter.com/2VQzhZTyM9
— The National Courier (@Nation_Courier) March 20, 2017
Wau plane crash: All passengers and crew members feared dead - Eye Radio's Deng Dimo #SouthSudan#SupremeAirline
— Eye Radio Juba (@EyeRadioJuba) March 20, 2017