Russian crew rescued after crash-landing a Sudan military transport plane
CAIRO — At least two people were killed in the crash of a Sudanese
Air Force cargo plane with a largely Russian crew.
Officials said a Russian-origin An-12 air transport made an emergency
landing in a military airport in Khartoum on Thursday. They said the
Antonov rammed into a main battle
tank and the plane caught fire.
The Sudanese Air Force has at least four Antonov air transports, according to reports by Middle East Newsline. Western
diplomats said the air force has used the Antonov for bombing operations in
the war-torn province of Darfour.
Mohammed Al Hassan Taha, director of Khartoum International Airport,
said the An-12 took off from his facility in a flight for the southern
Sudanese capital of Juba. Taha said the Antonov contained 12 tons of
equipment and fuel for a seven-hour flight.
Several minutes after take-off, the Antonov captain reported a technical
mishap and requested to return to Khartoum International Airport. Taha said
the plane landed and veered out of control toward the military airport.
The plane caught fire and crashed into an MBT, officials said. The crew
of three Russians and a Sudanese were rescued from the destroyed air
transport.
