Sudanese Jetliner Bursts into Flames at Khartoum Airport

Air Safety Week, June 16, 2008

The Associated Press reported that a Sudanese Airbus A310-324 (ST-ATN) carrying 214 people veered off a runway at Khartoum-Civil Airport (KRT), Khartoum, Sudan in a thunderstorm and burst into flames on June 10, killing dozens unable to escape the inferno.

An Associated Press reporter at the scene said the Sudan Airways jetliner appeared to have left the runway after landing, with several loud explosions resounding as fire raced through the aircraft.

The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that 103 passengers and all 11 crew members survived. In addition, it said some other passengers may have gone home directly after the crew helped them through the emergency doors. Officials said most aboard were Sudanese.

Death toll reports conflicted. State TV initially said about 100 were killed, but officials later put the toll at dozens without being more precise. Deputy Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Hassan al-Ameen said "about 30 people" died, while Police Spokesman Mohammed Abdel Majid al-Tayeb said 23 bodies were brought to the morgue.

"There are missing passengers who could be still inside the plane, or left the aircraft but did not inform officials," al-Tayeb said.

The cause of the accident wasn't immediately known and there were differing reports on the role weather played. A sandstorm had hit the area with 20 mph winds between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. and there was a thunderstorm at the time of the crash around 9 p.m.

Youssef Ibrahim, director of the Khartoum airport, disputed that bad weather caused the crash. He told Sudanese TV that the plane "landed safely" and the pilot was talking to the control tower and getting further instructions when the accident occurred. "One of the (plane's) engines exploded and the plane caught fire," Ibrahim said. He blamed the accident on technical problems, but didn't elaborate.

Sudan has a poor aviation safety record. On May 2, a Beech 1900 Flex Air crash in a remote area of southern Sudan killed 21 people, including key members of the southern Sudanese government.

In July 2003, a Sudan Airways Boeing 737 en route from Port Sudan to Khartoum crashed soon after takeoff, killing all 115 people on board.

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