What happened
During the early stages of flight, a twin-engine aircraft was struck by a projectile while ascending from Malakal Airport. The incident occurred shortly after the aircraft departed the runway, during its climb phase. Following the impact, the aircraft crashed a few kilometers away from the airport perimeter.
The crash resulted in a total loss of the airframe. All 14 occupants on board, which included a significant number of European tourists, lost their lives in the accident. There were no survivors reported from the wreckage.
Findings
Investigations into the destruction of the aircraft determined that the impact was caused by a surface-to-air missile. The projectile was launched from the ground during the aircraft's climb sequence, leading to the immediate loss of control and subsequent crash near the departure site.