Sudan blames US for air crash

Sudan has blamed the United States for a plane crash that killed 115 people on Tuesday, saying it was a direct result of US sanctions against the country.

The plane was heading toKhartoumThe plane was heading toKhartoum

Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said that the accident was caused by the lack of spare parts to service the US-made Boeings.

He blamed this on a US-led embargo imposed three decades ago. 

“This plane had not been serviced for five or six years,” Ismail told reporters in the Mozambican capital of Maputo, where he is taking part in meetings in preparation for an African Union summit. 

The plane crashed northeast of Sudan killing 115 people, including 11 crew members, airport and government officials said.

 

The Boeing 737 crashed near the Red Sea town of Port Sudan shortly after it took off on a domestic flight for Khartoum, Sudanese television said.

 

Child is miracle survivor

 

The only survivor of the crash was toddler Lena Abd Allah, a spokesman for the national flag carrier said. 

 

Lena was rushed to hospital in Port Sudan and Sudanese TV said she was in good condition. It was not immediately clear whether hes parents were on board.

 

The dead included a senior military officer and eight foreigners.

Minister of State for Aviation Muhammad Hassan al-Bahi said the pilot contacted airport officials minutes after taking off, saying there were difficulties and that he would return to the airport. The plane crashed while trying to land at the airport.

 

The plane joined the Sudanese airline fleet towards the end of the 1970s.

Source: Al Jazeera, News Agencies