Dozens Killed in Sudan Plane Crash

Posted on Jun 10, 2008

bbc.co.uk

Rescue workers try to douse the flames after the Sudan Airways plane crash in Khartoum Tuesday.

A Sudan Airways passenger jet carrying around 200 people crashed while landing at the Khartoum airport late Tuesday, skidding off the runway during stormy weather, catching fire and splitting in half. Dozens of people on the craft were reported killed after earlier estimates placed the toll much higher.

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AP via The New York Times:

Official and state media said immediately after the crash that about half the 203 passengers aboard the Airbus A310 had been killed in the crash around 9 p.m. But several hours later officials began reporting a lower toll.

One flight attendant said the crew had evacuated the passengers from the plane.

‘‘Thank God we were able to get all the passengers out,’’ said Sarrah Faisal, her voice shaking as she spoke to Sudanese TV from a stretcher, wearing a plastic neck-brace. She gave no more details.

Deputy parliament speaker Mohammed al-Hassan al-Ameen said the death toll was ‘‘about 30 people.’’ Police spokesman Mohammed Abdel Majid al-Tayeb said five bodies had been pulled from the wreckage, 100 people were safe and an unspecified number were hospitalized.

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