25 November 2009
Gulu — The Southern Sudan President Salva Kiir on Wednesday morning survived a plane mishap at Gulu Airfield.
Mr Aziku Zata, the deputy Northern Regional Police Commander, says the front tyre of the plane burst just before takeoff, throwing it off the runway.
The pilot, however, managed to control the plane forestalling an expected tragic accident.
Mr Kiir who arrived in West Nile on Tuesday was aboard an Antonov 74 cargo plane when it developed a mechanical condition.
The incident happened at about 9:30a.m as the plane was taxiing, say Police.
Luckily, no one was injured. Gen. Kiir and panicky officials in his entourage were immediately evacuated to Acholi Inn Hotel where he had earlier spent the night.
The government of South Sudan arranged another plane to fly the high-powered delegation back home.
Gen. Kiir came here at the invitation of his counterpart President Museveni and the two leaders were on Tuesday together in Moyo District discussing a cocktail of bilateral issues; with deepening row over the border topping the agenda.
UPDF officers, including commanders of the elite Presidential Guard Brigade as well as Police have reportedly taken over control of the aerodrome facility hurriedly declared a no-go area to civilians.
Col. John Garang, South Sudan's founding President, died on July 31, 2005 when the Ugandan helicopter transporting him home crashed in the Imatong Mountains near the Uganda-Sudan border. He was then returning from a visit to President Museveni's country home in Rwakitura, Kiruhura District.
A multi-country investigation into the crash found no evidence of foul play, as had been speculated. Shortly after the official probe findings were made public, Ms Rebecca, the widow, said in the Kenyan capital Nairobi that she believes her late husband was "murdered" but mentioned no mastermind.
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