SkyUp: Ukrainian aircraft catches fire during coup d'état attempt in Sudan

At the airport of the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, an emergency locator transmitter was activated on one of the planes of the Ukrainian SkyUp Airlines. The company is taking measures to evacuate its employees from the country as soon as possible.

“On April 15, hostilities began in Sudan. Currently, it is known about the activation of Emergency Locator Transmitter (ЕLT) on one of the two planes of SkyUp Airlines, which are located at the airport of the city of Khartoum. As of now, it is impossible to determine the possible damage to the aircraft,” reads SkyUp’s official statement.

As noted, the 36 air carrier’s employees, who stay in Sudan, are currently in relatively safe locations. The company keeps in touch with them.

“Our main task now is to organize safe conditions for employees and help them leave the country as soon as possible. We work on this together with the Embassy of Ukraine in Egypt, the Honorary Consulate of Ukraine in Sudan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, and other public institutions. We will inform media when the situation is resolved,” the carrier added.

SkyUp Airlines planes are in Sudan under an ACMI contract with Sun Air. Since the beginning of 2023, they have operated flights to Cairo (Egypt), Riyadh, and Jeddah (Saudi Arabia).

As reported, on April 15, after several days of tension between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Force (RSF), explosions and gunfire rang out in Khartoum. The controversy centers around the country's proposed transition to civilian rule.

It is known that two people were killed in Sudan as a shell hit a passenger plane. The state airline Saudi Arabian Airlines and Egypt’s national carrier, EgyptAir, already announced the suspension of flights to Khartoum.