Central Equatoria State Information Minister says he has received reports that there were about 50 passengers aboard the cargo plane that crashed in Juba yesterday.

The plane was heading to Paloich oilfields in Upper Nile State when it crashed into swampy grassland along the River Nile shortly after leaving the runway.

“Up to now our security organs are following from those who were in the airport, but there are reports which said that those who were on board were 55, others said they were less than this number,” Emanuel Adil told Eye Radio this morning.

“Later on, if those of rescue team did their rescue in the remaining crash, we will be able to give full information on how many people were on the plane,” he said.

There are no official figures of the casualties yet. Authorities say the flight manifest showed no passengers aboard.

Eye Radio’s Dominic Santo counted 41 dead bodies at the scene of the crash, just less than a kilometer away from Juba airport.

Images from the scene show rescuers dragging away the bodies through muddy water.

The South Sudan Red Cross Society says it collected 38 bodies; however, it says more corpses were still trapped under the wreckage.

Two survivors of the tragedy were rushed to Juba Teaching Hospital.

The news of the incident has been received with shock and grief.

“I went to the company for information I was told that he was on the plane, it is really a sad news,” says Akech Peter, a relative to one of the deceased.

The Civil Aviation Authority says it will launch an investigation into the crash.

“We search and rescue teams are working at the side of the crash but there is no new detail until now,” says Stephen Warikzi, the Chief Executive Officer.

Mr Warikozi says the government may issue an official statement on the crash later today.

However, the Office of the President believes the crash could have been due to mechanical problems.

“It might have been a technical failure because the two engines had all failed,” says Presidential Press Secretary, Ateny Wek Ateny.

“Civil aviation has called in experts to come and establish the cause of the crash. The first indication is that there is a technical failure,” he said.

This is the most fatal flight accidents in South Sudan over the last decade.