A plane operated by Samaritan’s Purse was hijacked earlier this week while transporting humanitarian aid to South Sudan. Authorities have detained a suspect, and no serious injuries have been reported.
The international Evangelical relief organization confirmed Wednesday that the Cessna Grand Caravan—an aircraft used exclusively for operations in Africa—“was involved in a hijacking incident on Tuesday.”
At the time of the incident, the plane was flying to Maiwut, South Sudan, to deliver medicine to a mobile medical unit run by the North Carolina–based nonprofit.
According to the organization, an armed individual boarded the plane unnoticed before takeoff. The aircraft, which was carrying a pilot and one Samaritan’s Purse staff member in addition to the hijacker, was eventually landed in Wau, South Sudan.
After the landing, South Sudan’s National Security Service apprehended the armed suspect. Samaritan’s Purse expressed gratitude, stating, “We praise God that no one was seriously injured, and we are grateful to the security forces for their support and swift action on the ground to resolve the situation and bring a safe outcome.”
The Associated Press identified the hijacker as Yasir Mohammed Yusuf, a resident of the oil-rich Abyei Administrative Area, a territory disputed by South Sudan and Sudan. Reports indicate he boarded the aircraft secretly and demanded the plane take him to Chad, though a motive has not been fully established.
Samaritan’s Purse, led by the Rev. Franklin Graham, has worked in South Sudan for years and has encountered hazardous conditions during its humanitarian missions.
In 2017, eight staff members living in the Mayendit region were abducted, allegedly by rebel forces, though all were later released unharmed. While government officials claimed the workers were held for ransom, rebels denied this, and Samaritan’s Purse confirmed no money was exchanged for their release.
