The World Food Programme (WFP) was working with the South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority and UNMISS peacekeepers to determine why a plane chartered by the WFP crash landed in the Upper Nile State capital Malakal, an official said today.

In an interview with Radio Miraya, WFP Communication Officer George Fominyen said the cargo plane came down shortly after take-off from Malakal at about three o’clock yesterday. 

“This plane had offloaded its cargo in Malakal and was heading to (the Western Bahr el Ghazal capital) Wau empty,” he said. “At this time, it is too soon to know what happened, but we are working with the aircraft operator. … We are also working with South Sudanese aviation authorities as well as UNMISS peacekeepers to determine what caused the incident.”

Mr. Fominyen said four crew members were the only people on the plane, which had been chartered from West Wing Aviation of Kenya.

He added that the crew members had all survived and were receiving treatment at the UNMISS clinic in Malakal.