21 Dec 2012

UN / SOUTH SUDAN HELICOPTER CRASH

A UN helicopter carrying four crew members was shot down in South Sudan today, possibly by the South Sudanese armed forces (SPLA). An investigation is ongoing, according to UN spokesman Eduardo Del Buey. UNTV / FILE

Posted at: December 21, 2012 5:53 pm

Duration: 01:17

Available in: SD

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STORY: UN / SOUTH SUDAN HELICOPTER CRASH
TRT: 1.16
SOURCE: UNTV / UNHCR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 21 DECEMBER 2012, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

SHOTLIST:

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1.	Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

21 DECEMBER 2012, NEW YORK CITY

2.	Med shot, Deputy Spokesman Eduardo del Buey at the dais
3.	Med shot, audience
4.	SOUNDBITE (English) Eduardo del Buey, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General:
"Earlier today, at approximately 10a.m. Sudan time, South Sudan time, the UN mission in South Sudan reported that one of its MI-8 helicopters with four crew members on board was shot down. In subsequent communications between the mission and the South Sudanese Armed Forces, the SPLA told the mission that it had shot down the helicopter in the Likuangole area in Jonglei State. The UN helicopter was on a reconnaissance flight to the area. Initial reports indicate that the UN helicopter crashed and burnt. The mission immediately launched a search and recovery mission. It has confirmed the death of all four crew members."
5.	Med shot, reporters

FILE - UNHCR - 15 MAY 2012, JAMMAM AND DORO REFUGEE CAMPS, UPPER NILE STATE, SOUTH SUDAN

6.	Wide shot, UN helicopter and refugees

STORYLINE:

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the shooting down today (21 December) of a United Nations helicopter in South Sudan – killing all four crew members onboard – by the country's armed forces and called for those responsible to be held to account, his spokesperson said.

Eduardo del Buey told reporters "initial reports indicate that the UN helicopter crashed and burnt" and after a search and recovery mission "it has confirmed the death of all four crew members."

The Russian-crewed MI-8 helicopter, part of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), had been on a reconnaissance flight at around 10:00 a.m. local time over the settlement of Likuangole, in the eastern state of Jonglei.

The reconnaissance was related to efforts to identify suitable landing places to facilitate the protection of civilians work in the state. There were no passengers onboard.

UNMISS has begun an investigation to establish the circumstances around the incident. The peacekeeping mission had immediately launched a search and recovery operation, which confirmed the death of all four crew members.

In communications between UNMISS and the SPLA, the Mission was told that the SPLA had shot at a helicopter in the Likuangole area on Friday.

South Sudan became independent from Sudan in July last year, six years after the signing of the peace agreement that ended decades of warfare between the north and the south. During the same month, the Security Council established UNMISS with the purpose of consolidating peace and security and to help establish conditions for development.

The UN's peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts in South Sudan are heavily reliant on helicopters to navigate the country's remote terrain.