United Nations Flight 544 was a civilian helicopter operated by Nizhnevartovskavia that on 21 December 2012 was shot down by the South Sudanese army (SPLA) near Likuangole, South Sudan, killing all four people on board.

United Nations Flight 544

A UNMISS Mi-8 similar to the helicopter involved
Shootdown
Date	21 December 2012 (2012-12-21)
Summary	Friendly fire incident
Site	near Likuangole, South Sudan 7.049°N 33.0043°E / 7.049; 33.0043
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Mil Mi-8
Operator	Nizhnevartovskavia for United Nations Humanitarian Air Service
Registration	RA-27003
Flight origin	Juba, South Sudan
Stopover	Pibor, South Sudan
Occupants	4
Crew	4
Fatalities	4
Survivors	0

Flight 544 was performing a reconnaissance mission for the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to evaluate overland routes and landing areas for delivery of humanitarian aid.[1] The flight had originated in Juba. Shortly after taking off from a stopover at Pibor, the helicopter took fire from SPLA ground-based anti-aircraft artillery and crashed. The crash site was near the front of ongoing fighting between the SPLA and Murle rebels led by David Yau Yau.[2] The four victims on board were Russian nationals employed by Nizhnevartovskavia.[2][3]

Reactions

The SPLA initially denied its role in the shooting, blaming rebels instead.[1] The following day, the South Sudanese government admitted its troops had shot down 544. SPLA spokesman Philip Aguer announced that an SPLA artillery unit mistook Flight 544 for a Sudanese government aircraft that had previously been reported in the area, allegedly supplying Yau Yau's militia. He elaborated that before engaging the helicopter, the SPLA soldiers received confirmation from UNMISS that there were no UN flights in the region.[4]

The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon immediately issued a statement vehemently condemning the SPLA's attack on "clearly marked" UN personnel and demanding that South Sudan hold accountable those responsible for the shooting and work to prevent future attacks.[5][6]

Ambassador Vitaly Churkin announced that the Russian government would seek compensation from South Sudan for the families of the Russian crew. He stated that the crew of Flight 544 had cleared their flight plan and obtained a guarantee of security from the SPLA, contradicting the South Sudanese claim about confusion about the identify of the helicopter. He demanded that South Sudan punish those responsible and make changes to improve the protection of Russians working there.[7]

European Union representative Catherine Ashton issued a statement condemning the attack and requesting that the SPLA cooperate with an investigation into the incident.[3][8]

Investigation

The UN took control of the "black box" flight recorder. The transfer of the recorder to the Russian government was delayed by request of the South Sudanese government, which had set up its own investigation committee,[9] and finally completed on January 21.[10]

Aftermath

Despite the request that the SPLA implement changes to avoid future attacks on UN personnel,[5] another UNMISS helicopter took gunfire on January 5, 2013 while on the ground at Bau, South Sudan. This craft was a Mil Mi-26 transport helicopter operated by the Russian firm UTair. No personnel injuries or damage to critical systems was reported and the mission was completed as planned.[11]

Notes

References

• Ashton, Catherine (2012-12-22), Statement by the Spokesperson of EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on the attack on a U1 peacekeeping helicopter in South Sudan (PDF)
• Charbonneau, Louis; Nichols, Michelle; Laessing, Ulf (2012-12-22). "South Sudan admits it downed U.N. helicopter, killing four". Reuters. Juba. Retrieved 2013-01-29.
• Department of Public Information (2012-12-21), Condemning Shooting Down in Jonglei of UN Helicopter, Secretary-General Demands South Sudan Government Take Measures to Prevent Reoccurrence of Attacks, retrieved 2013-02-12
• "UNO: Ban verurteilt Abschuss von UN-Hubschrauber im Südsudan". Die Zeit. 2012-12-22. Retrieved 2013-02-12.
• Юрий ЗАРЕЦКИЙ. "Ушедшие в вечность". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-02-12.
• "Bodies of Russians killed in Sudan arriving in Moscow". Voice of Russia. Moscow. 2012-12-27. Archived from the original on 2012-12-31. Retrieved 2013-02-13.
• "UN crew killed as helicopter shot down in South Sudan". The Guardian. 2012-12-21. Retrieved 2013-02-12.
• "Russian Helicopter Shot Up Again in South Sudan". RIA Novosti. Tyumen. 2013-01-10. Archived from the original on 2013-01-20. Retrieved 2013-02-13.
• "S.Sudan Authorities Unable to Reach UN Chopper's Crash Site". RIA Novosti. Khartoum. 2012-12-24. Retrieved 2013-02-13.
• "Russia does not receive black box from Mi-8 copter in Sudan". Itar-Tass. 2013-01-16. Archived from the original on 2013-04-11. Retrieved 2013-02-13.
• "Russian helicopter's black box to be returned by South Sudan". Voice of Russia. Moscow. 2013-01-22. Archived from the original on 2013-04-17. Retrieved 2013-02-13.
• "Punish those who shot UN chopper: Russia". The Australian. 2012-12-23. Retrieved 2013-02-12.