The crew that came under fire last week has returned to Jeddah with the Saudi Navy’s aid.
The Saudi Arabian Navy stepped in to provide safe transport for 91 Saudis and 66 foreigners to escape the outbreak of violence, gunfire, and conflict that has rained down on Khartoum in Sudan as the country faces the brink of a civil war. The vessel's passengers included the crew of the Saudi aircraft, previously reported by Simple Flying, that incurred damage on the apron at Khartoum International Airport (KRT). Two aircraft in Sudan have been badly damaged or destroyed; one was an Airbus A330-300 operated by Saudia, and the other was a Boeing 737-800 operated by SkyUp Airlines.
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The iconic lighthouse at the entry to the Port of Jeddah would have provided welcome relief for those brought to safety by the Saudi Navy. Local television station Al Ekhbariya aired the passenger's arrival at the port, with many waving the kingdom's flag. Among the 157 evacuated, other nationalities included Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Egypt, India, Kuwait, Qatar, Pakistan, the Philippines, Tunisia, and the UAE.
Saudi Arabian Airlines has confirmed the suspension of flights to Sudan until further notice after its Airbus A330 was damaged as it came under fire attempting to take off on a return flight to Riyadh King Khalid International Airport (RUH). The Sudanese Civil Aviation Authority has also extended the closure of the country's airspace until at least April 30th, depending on whether violence continues. On April 15th, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Army clashed and have since spread to other cities across the African nation. Saudia crew and passengers involved in the incident were quickly transported to safety at the Saudi Embassy in Sudan. At the same time, a relief effort was planned to transport those affected back to Saudi Arabia.
According to Flightradar24.com, the airline's Airbus A330-300 was struck, and the aircraft joined the Saudia fleet in November 2017 and is only five years old. It remains unclear the exact damage the aircraft has attained as yet. However, Simple Flying will look to report this once more information comes to light.
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The twelve aircraft parked in Khartoum are mostly Boeing 737s (ten), one Airbus A330, and one Embraer Legacy 600. Per FlightRadar.com, this is the list of the planes in Khartoum:
The ongoing Sudan conflict has had a rollercoaster effect globally, with airlines now avoiding Sudanese airspace. This is standard practice when countries are in a conflict, as airlines look to prevent the possibility of rebel or military forces downing their aircraft.
Sources: Gulf News
Journalist – Aaron joins the Simple Flying team with 14 years of experience in the travel & tourism industry. He has a background in airports and travel consulting for global companies in New Zealand, Europe, and North America. An Avid traveler, Aaron has visited 52+ countries across 5 continents. Based in Christchurch, New Zealand