Statement on crash landing by UNHAS flight in Ethiopia
ROME – A United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) flight managed by WFP and operated by our longstanding aviation services partner – Abyssinia Flight Services - was forced to make a crash landing on the afternoon of Tuesday July 27, whilst transporting passengers between Jigjiga and Dire Dawa.
The aircraft was carrying four people in total: two humanitarian staff and two crew members. None of the passengers suffered any serious injury as a result of the accident, and they have been taken to Dire Dawa hospital to receive a thorough medical examination.
The exact cause of the forced landing is yet to be determined and Abyssinia Flight Services, WFP, and local aviation authorities are carrying out a verification exercise to clarify the details.
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The United Nations World Food Programme is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. We are the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
