In an order issued on Wednesday, Minister of Transport Lt. Gen. Rizik Zakaria Hassan said the airline would remain grounded until a full investigation is conducted by relevant government institutions.
“In exercise of the powers conferred upon me under Article 144 (2) of the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan 2011, as amended, read together with the South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority Act 2012, Section 33 (b) and 34 (4) as amended 2024, I hereby suspend the operations of City Link Africa in the Republic of South Sudan until investigation is undertaken appropriately by the relevant institutions of the Government,” the minister said in the order.
The suspension comes a day after a Cessna 208 Caravan operated by CityLink Aviation Ltd. crashed while approaching Juba International Airport.
According to the South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority (SSCAA), the aircraft had departed Yei for Juba at 9:15 a.m. before losing communication at 9:43 a.m. It later went down about 20 kilometres southwest of the capital near Luri.
“There were 13 passengers and one pilot on board. Unfortunately, there were no survivors,” the authority said in an earlier statement.
Officials said the victims included 12 South Sudanese nationals and two Kenyan nationals.
Preliminary findings indicate that poor weather conditions, especially low visibility, may have contributed to the crash, though authorities said investigations are still underway.
The latest tragedy adds to growing concerns over aviation safety in South Sudan, where air transport remains essential due to poor road infrastructure and insecurity in some parts of the country.
CityLink Aviation had been operating domestic routes connecting Juba with towns such as Yei and other destinations. The government has not indicated how long the suspension will remain in force.
