A Boeing 727 freighter aircraft carrying 300 refugees from a conflict zone in Sudan overshot a runway upon landing at Juba Airport in South Sudan. The reason for the incident is not known yet, and no casualties or injuries have been reported. Juba Airport was forced to close following the incident, and a FlyDubai flight was diverted to Entebbe Airport in Uganda.
The Boeing 727 aircraft with registration EY-627 was chartered by Two South Sudanese businessmen named Chagai and Bibi Ali. Both the businessmen have collaborated with nonprofits there to get the refugees out of the conflicted area.
IndiGo offered aircraft to bring stranded Indians from Sudan
Indian budget carrier IndiGo transported 231 Indians from Jeddah to New Delhi as part of the Indian Government's Operation Kaveri rescue mission of citizens from Sudan.
"Indigo joins #OperationKaveri. 231 Indians in a flight to New Delhi from Jeddah. With this 5th outbound flight, around 1600 reached or airborne for India. Happy journey. Our Mission continues," Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan tweeted.
IndiGo earlier expressed willingness to be part of Operation Kaveri
"We have offered our services for charter flights to Jeddah under the Indian Government's Operation Kaveri rescue mission of our citizens from Sudan. We are still awaiting details from the ministry to launch these flights, nothing has been confirmed as of yet," IndiGo Airlines said in a statement.
Background on Sudan conflict
Sudan remains on edge due to ongoing battles between the army and paramilitary groups, with reports of violence and fighting even during the current 72-hour ceasefire. Two South Sudanese businessmen named Chagai and Bibi Ali chartered the Boeing 727 aircraft to collaborate with nonprofits and get refugees out of the conflicted area.