30/01/2025
Are we really becoming a dumping ground for outdated Aircrafts in the 21st Century?
By: Ateny Wek Ateny
January 30th, 2025
My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of the victims of yesterday, January 29th, 2025, Unity State, Bantiu’s air crash in which young staff of Greater Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC) perished in a mysterious circumstances. No man/woman would be capable to find sufficient words to describe this tragic loss of very young Oil Engineers. I am still trying to come into term with this untimely loss of young lives.
However, death by air crashes are not imminent. They are avoidable in countries where humans lives are given better space than money-making machines. In 21st century, the most secured means of transport that has almost absolute safety is the aero planes. Trains are 40% less safer compared to airplanes which are almost 100% of safe — provided there are strict safety measures imposed.
Cars are almost zero percent in safely compared to planes. The likelihood of death/ injuries in a car accidents in the industrialized and semi industrialized countries is the order of the day.
Notwithstanding, why is South Sudan allowing itself to be put into this situation, when it has the alternative? Making strict safety laws, or do without air travels across states. We could have constructed roads as an alternative to air travel within the country. (Though, now a missed opportunity).
Countries in the world, are protecting themselves from rogue airlines dealers who are ready to repair a World War II’s aircraft and put it back to service through collaboration with some corrupt governments officials in the courtiers with absolutely zero safety protocols or relaxed safety measures. Such countries now are banned by European Safety Regulations. It is incumbent upon South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority to adopt to the norms of how safety regulations are managed in accordance with international standards.
South Sudan is not amongst the 16 most dangerous countries to travel by air in an out of it, because it never has an airlines. The rating is done on the basis of National airlines that are operating worldwide.
Moreover, the country we are importing from, some of its World War II’s planes is amongst the 16 most dangerous countries to use air travel from. Albeit of its might in military hardware industry, Russia is number 12 in the rating of the most dangerous countries with bad air safety regulations.
The list is topped by Afghanistan, and end with The Republic of Sudan. So, South Sudan is not amongst the worst or the best countries on the history of aviation safety industry. We don’t exist, in the aviation world, but we import planes from the worse countries with the most dangerous aviation history.
Russia’s Aeroflot (73.77%) shares owned by Russian government had to abandon aircrafts manufactured in Russia in favor of Western made planes such as Airbus A320, A330, A350 and Boeings 737, 777 and 787 Dreamliner etc. for its international flights. Russia does this in order to remain competitive in the commercial aviation industry. For internal flights within 17 million square kilometers nation, Russia uses Embraer 190 a low budget aircraft manufactured by Brazil and Bombardier and Dash 8, 400 which is a Canadian manufactured. Yet, we see it as a provider for the planes they no longer uses. How are we protecting our lives?
Finally, the Civilian Aviation Authority and the Ministry of Transport must collaborate to provide strict safety measures that would prohibit defective planes coming into service in South Sudan. I have no problem with those investing in the commercial aviation industry, but they must adapt to the true regulations that govern the aviation industry. They must know, an aircraft is not the same as lorry. Otherwise, the investors in this field would be investing in innocents bloods.
The author is the former Press Secretary in the Office of the President and the views expressed in this article are his own. He could be reached by email; [email protected]
Ateny Wek Ateny
