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Sudanese Officials Say At Least 29 Killed in Khartoum Plane Crash

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Sudanese aviation officials are investigating the cause of a plane crash that killed at least 29 people at the airport in the capital, Khartoum, late Tuesday.

The officials say the Sudan Airways Airbus A310 veered off a runway and burst into flames as it attempted to land. The plane was carrying more than 200 passengers and crew.

Officials Wednesday say at least 121 people survived crash. At least 14 people are missing.

Investigators say it is unclear if a technical failure or inclement weather was the main cause of the accident. A sandstorm and thunderstorm were moving through the area at the time.

State-run television in Sudan had reported Tuesday that 100 people had died in the accident, amid conflicting reports about the number of fatalities.

But officials have so far confirmed 29 deaths, saying authorities have taken the bodies to a nearby morgue.

The flight originated in Damascus, Syria, and made a stopover in Amman, Jordan, before flying to Khartoum.

Sudan has a poor aviation safety record.

In May, a plane crashed in a remote area of southern Sudan, killing 23 people, including key members of the southern Sudanese government.

In July 2003, a Sudan Airways plane crashed soon after takeoff near Port Sudan, killing 115 people.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

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