The plane went down into mountains around Talodi, a town in the border state of South Kordofan, while bringing a government delegation there to celebrate the festival marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the state news agency Suna said. Twenty-six passengers were killed, it added, and the dead included ministers but did not name them.
Abdel Hafiz Abdel Rahim, a civil aviation spokesman, told Reuters 32 people were killed including the crew, but had no details about their identities.
The Arabic satellite channel Al Arabiya said the plane was carrying the guidance and endowments minister, Khalil Abdalla. Al Jazeera reported two ministers had been on board, but did not name them.
Citing Sudanese authorities, Al Jazeera reported that security personnel and a media team were also killed in the crash. It did not say whether the plane involved belonged to the state-owned Sudan Airways or another carrier.
There have been several crashes in recent years involving Sudan Airways, which has been worn down by years of US sanctions and other issues. A cargo plane crashed when it was taking off in the United Arab Emirates in 2009 and another cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Khartoum in 2008.
Oil-producing South Kordofan borders South Sudan, which seceded more than a year ago. The border state has been at the centre of an insurgency since shortly before South Sudan's independence.
Sudan's government accused rebels of killing a state official and seven other people there in July. A spokesman for the main rebel group in the area, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement North, said it had nothing to do with the plane crash on Sunday.
Sunday 19 august 2012
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/08/201281975853839515.html
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