Top UN official offers condolences after plane crash in southern Sudan

The senior United Nations official in Sudan has offered his condolences to the Government of Southern Sudan after learning of the death today of one of its ministers and other military officials in a plane crash.

Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, also offered his deepest sympathies on behalf of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) and the wider Organization to the bereaved families of the crash victims, according to a statement issued by the mission in Khartoum.

Media reports state that the aircraft was flying from the town of Wau to the regional capital of Juba when it crashed, killing everyone on board. Around 20 people are thought to have lost their lives, including Dominic Dim Deng, a Government minister.

The UNMIS statement said it is making its helicopters available to bring aviation safety officials from the Government of National Unity and the Government of Southern Sudan – established in the wake of the January 2005 comprehensive peace agreement ending the long-running north-south civil war – to the scene of the accident so they can conduct their investigations.