Azza crash in Sudan - repeat of Sharjah fatal incident

Reports from Khartoum say that an Azza Air Transport (AZZ) Antonov AN-12BP  operating a flight for the Sudanese military, has crashed 40 kilometres west of Omdurman, as it was climbing out of Khartoum International Airport en-route to El Fasher, capital of North Darfur.

There were 22 on board and early reports suggest that at least 13 died in the crash.

The Sudan Herald is quoting Al-Sawarmi Khaled Saad, from the Sudanese Army who said there were 16 military personnel on board and six crew. The aircraft was carrying military equipment.

Reports suggest that the crew first reported the failure of one engine and decided to return to Khartoum but a second of the aircraft's four engines also failed. The crew then attempted an emergency landing during which the aircraft broke up before coming to a rest near the proposed new airport in Omdurman.

Azza Air Transport started operations in September 1993 and is owned by Omdurman National Bank, Shaikan Insurances and Sheikan Insurance. In May 2007, the US Department of State placed it under sanctions declaring the airline was transferring small arms, ammunition and artillery to Sudanese government forces and Janjaweed militia in Darfur

It was an Azza Transport Boeing 707-300 in October 2009 that lost height after takeoff from Sharjah, UAE before crashing, killing all six on board.