Email
Print
Save
September 8, 2012 (JUBA) - South Sudan has released a foreign commercial flight, its security apparatus and officials with the Aviation Authority last week said landed without official approval, an official at the country’s ministry of transport said on Saturday.
The plane carrying no commercial goods with only three foreign crews, on Friday landed at the country’s Juba International Airport, allegedly without the aviation approval, generating concerns and suspicions fearing links to foreign intelligence.
“Yes, it has been released yesterday, Captain David Martin", an undersecretary in the ministry of transport told Sudan Tribune on Saturday. "We jointly carried out investigation with security forces and it was found that it was merely a commercial flight. It had no national security threat. It was a simple mistake.”
Martin said the committee had not found any intelligence connections to the crew members although the airline had violated aviation rules but that it notified the countries of origin he did not mention.
“It has been released. This is what I thought you wanted for your readers. The rest of the information is not necessary”, Martin said as he cut off the interview.
South Sudan gained an independent status a year ago from neigbouring Sudan with which it is still engaged in secession dispute after waging repeated wars demanding separation, resulting into the loss of over two million lives and displacement of more than four million people.
It faces a number of administrative challenges including controlling its airspace.
(ST)
Latest Comments & Analysis
Africa and the ICC: a dynamic relationship 2013-05-24 09:19:39 By Tiina Intelmann May 23, 2013 - The relationship between Africa and the International Criminal Court (ICC) is remarkable in its history, and dynamic. Africa and the ICC share the fundamental (...)
NCP Parliament Speaker will not negotiate with those who carry arms 2013-05-23 08:09:52 By Mahmoud A. Suleiman May 22, 2013 - This article comes on the backdrop of the war drums beating campaign orchestrated by the National Congress Party (NCP) regime Parliament Speaker, Ahmed (...)
At the Mercy of the Sky, South Sudanese professionals 2013-05-23 08:02:35 By Suzanne Jambo May 22, 2013 - "I have nothing to hide and I walk away with my head high. There was absolutely no board meeting to discuss my issue. The reason given were unilateral spending (...)
MORE