Reuters reports that a Russian cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff in South Sudan, killing over 40 people.
The airplane contained around 20 people, both crew and passengers. Two people, a crew member and a child, survived the crash.
The airplane crashed into an area with fishermen and workers on the banks of the West Nike River, causing additional casualties on the ground.
South Sudanese presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny told Reuters that an exact death toll has not been decided.
"We need to confirm how many people were on board," Atney said. "We don't know the number of people that were killed on the ground," he added.
The cause of the crash has not been determined. Witnesses reported the plane taking off from the Juba airport and crashing shortly after onto the banks of the West Nile River. Debris and fuselage were seen close to the waterline.
The South Sudan plane crash occured four days after another Russian plane crashed in Sinai, Egypt. The previous Russian plane killed all 224 aboard. While Daesh originally claimed responsibility for the crash, the latest investigation reports show no signs of an outside attack.
