14 Killed in crash near Juba as poor weather suspected

A small aircraft crashed on the outskirts of Juba, South Sudan, on Monday, killing all 14 people aboard, according to the country's civil aviation authority.

The South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority said the Cessna 208 Caravan was flying from Yei to Juba International Airport when it lost communication before crashing about 20 kilometers outside the capital. Preliminary reports point to bad weather and low visibility as possible factors.

AP, Reuters and other outlets reported the same death toll on April 27. Officials said the victims included 13 passengers and one pilot. Two of the dead were Kenyan nationals and the rest were South Sudanese.

An investigation team has been sent to the crash site. Authorities have not yet confirmed the final cause, but the early focus is on weather conditions and visibility along the route.

The crash adds to concerns about aviation safety in a country where travel between towns often depends on small aircraft and weather can change quickly. For now, investigators are still working to establish exactly what happened in the final minutes before the plane went down.