In a dramatic turn of events, all seven occupants aboard a Boeing 727 freighter have miraculously survived after the aircraft collided with the wreckage of a previously crashed MD-82. The incident occurred during a supply transport mission from Juba, the capital of South Sudan, to Malakal in the northern region of the country on March 31st.
The Boeing 727, registered as 5Y-IRE and operated by Safe Air Company based in Nairobi’s Wilson Airport, encountered difficulties mid-flight and was compelled to execute an emergency landing. Unfortunately, during the landing, it skidded off the runway and collided with the debris of an African Express Airways Boeing MD-82 that had suffered a landing-gear collapse in a previous accident on February 9th.
Malakal Airport, equipped with a single runway designated 04/22, became the site of this harrowing incident. The 727 freighter collided with the wreckage of the MD-82, eventually coming to rest with its forward fuselage resting on the left wing of the twinjet.
Thankfully, all seven individuals aboard the 727 managed to evacuate safely. The governor’s office of Upper Nile State, which referred to the aircraft as being “operated by Cush Airline,” reported the successful evacuation. However, the 727 sustained significant damage, with its aft fuselage fractured and a portion of its undercarriage appearing to have detached.
According to Cirium, the Boeing 727 was initially delivered to Avianca in 1979 and underwent hushkitting and conversion during its service with Astar Air Cargo.
Upper Nile governor James Odhok Oyay has called for urgent improvements to Malakal’s runway to enhance safety standards, expressing concerns about the airport’s current capabilities.
Source: Upper Nile state governor’s office
All seven occupants of the Kenyan-registered 727 survived
