A Sudanese military cargo plane crashed while attempting to land at an airbase in eastern Sudan on Tuesday, reportedly killing the entire crew. The incident occurred at a time when Sudan is already grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis.
According to military sources, the crash involved an Ilyushin cargo plane belonging to the army. The aircraft was attempting to land at the Digna airbase, located near Port Sudan, when the accident occurred.
One military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, attributed the crash to a “technical malfunction” during the landing attempt. Another source confirmed that all crew members aboard the Ilyushin 76 were killed in the crash.
As of yet, there has been no official statement from the Sudanese military regarding the incident. The exact number of personnel on board the aircraft remains unknown.
The Ilyushin-76, a Soviet-designed cargo aircraft, has long been a workhorse for the Sudanese military, used for transporting supplies and personnel.
This tragedy comes as Sudan continues to endure a devastating conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, which began in April 2023. The ongoing war has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people, displaced approximately 12 million, and caused widespread destruction of infrastructure. The humanitarian situation is considered one of the worst globally.
DZWatch will continue to monitor this developing story and provide updates as they become available.
