This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/africa/7380412.stm

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Plane crash kills Sudan minister Air crash kills Sudanese minister
(about 1 hour later)
South Sudan's defence minister has been killed in a plane crash involving about 20 people, according to officials in Khartoum and the south. South Sudan's defence minister has been killed along with 21 other people in a plane crash in the south, regional officials have told the BBC.
Defence Minister Dominic Dim was aboard the plane with other passengers returning from a conference, said a source in the southern capital, Juba. Dominic Dim was returning with a military delegation to the regional capital Juba from a conference of the ruling party in the town of Wau.
There were no immediate details of other casualties with one report saying the plane had crash-landed. A presidential adviser was among the 19 passengers and three crew killed.
A presidential adviser was reportedly also aboard the plane. Reports suggest the plane had developed engine trouble and there were no reports of foul play.
Justin Yak was killed along with Mr Dim, according to sources in South Sudan's governing Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), which were quoted by Reuters news agency.
South Sudanese Deputy Prime Minister Riek Mashar told AFP the plane had come down about 375km (220 miles) west of Juba.South Sudanese Deputy Prime Minister Riek Mashar told AFP the plane had come down about 375km (220 miles) west of Juba.
Saying he believed all 23 people aboard were dead, he gave no reason for the crash but ruled out an attack, the agency said. He gave no reason for the crash but ruled out an attack, the agency said.
The United Nations has sent a helicopter to the crash site. A spokesman for South Sudan's governing Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), Deng Goc, said he believed bad weather had caused the crash.
'Engine trouble'
The United Nations has sent a helicopter to the crash area.
A UN-operated radio station which broadcasts locally says the pilot reported engine trouble just before the crash.
The pilot radioed a control tower in the city of Rumbek, requesting permission to land because one of the engines was having technical problems, it said, quoting an unidentified air operations official.
A few minutes later, the tower lost all contact with the plane, it added.
The presidential adviser killed in the crash was named by Reuters news agency as Justin Yak.
Three years ago, the president of South Sudan, John Garang, was killed in a helicopter crash.Three years ago, the president of South Sudan, John Garang, was killed in a helicopter crash.
The region has had an autonomous government since the 2005 peace deal which ended decades of war with Khartoum.The region has had an autonomous government since the 2005 peace deal which ended decades of war with Khartoum.