By Youssef Yahya 
Last Update: 15 April 15:45 UTC
Saudia Airlines has confirmed that one of its A330 aircraft was involved in an accident at Khartoum International Airport on Saturday, April 15. The incident occurred just before the plane was scheduled to take off for Riyadh at 07:30 UTC. Following the accident, all flights to and from Sudan have been suspended until further notice.
In a recent press release, Saudia Airlines confirmed that one of its A330 aircraft, flight number SV458, was involved in an accident at Khartoum International Airport before taking off to Riyadh at 0730hrs UTC on Saturday, April 15. The damaged aircraft has been identified as HZ-AQ30, built in 2017, which arrived from Riyadh earlier. Another Saudia flight, SV451, HZ-AQ29, was close to landing in Khartoum but had to return to Jeddah due to the ongoing situation.
According to reports, several aircraft, including the Saudia A330, and a SkyUp 737, UR-SQH, built in 2004, which arrived from Jeddah operating for Sun Air, were damaged at Khartoum Airport as Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces took control of the airport after days of tension in the country.
The clashes between the military and the RSF have escalated in recent months, forcing a delay in signing an internationally backed deal with political parties to revive the country’s democratic transition.
Videos inside the airport show people lying on the floor as explosions and gunfire are exchanged outside the terminal building. Shocking images of the destroyed Saudia A330 on the tarmac have been circulating online. Saudia Airlines has suspended all flights to and from Sudan until further notice.
SAUDIA’s emergency team immediately responded to the accident, working alongside all relevant authorities, led by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Republic of Sudan, to obtain more information about the incident.
UPDATE
Saudia Airlines has released a statement confirming that one of its A330 aircraft, flight number SV458, was damaged by gunfire at Khartoum International Airport while preparing for its scheduled departure to Riyadh. The incident occurred amidst escalating tensions in Sudan, leading to the airport being taken over by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
In an updated statement, the airline reported, “Following the security events in the Republic of Sudan, an aircraft belonging to SAUDIA was exposed to gunfire damage at Khartoum International Airport while preparing for its scheduled departure flight SV458 to Riyadh with guests and crew on board this morning.”
The airline has confirmed that all members of the aircraft’s cabin crew have safely arrived at the Saudi Embassy in Sudan. Aircraft flying over Sudan have returned, and all other flights to and from Sudan have been suspended to ensure the safety of passengers and crew. Saudia Airlines is working closely with its emergency coordination center, cabin crew, airport staff, and the Saudi Embassy in Sudan to gather more information about the incident.
Shocking images of the damaged Saudia A330 have emerged, showing the extent of the damage caused by the gunfire. Another Saudia flight, #SV451 (HZ-AQ29), was close to landing in Khartoum but returned to Jeddah due to the ongoing situation at the airport.
Saudia Airlines will continue to provide updates on the situation through supplementary statements as more information becomes available. In the meantime, passengers planning to travel to or from Sudan should stay vigilant and monitor the situation closely.
What is happening in Sudan?
Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) declared that they had seized control of Khartoum International Airport as clashes erupted between Sudan’s paramilitary RSF and the army on Saturday.
Numerous flights have been canceled at Khartoum Airport, with data from Flightradar24.com showing that flights operated by Flynas, flydubai, Egyptair, and Saudia, among others, have been affected.
Several airlines, including Emirates, flydubai, Air Arabia, Egyptair, flynas, flyadeal and Saudia, have canceled flights to Sudan due to the deteriorating situation of civil unrest in Khartoum. Emirates and flydubai flights to and from Khartoum have been canceled from April 15th to 17th, while Air Arabia and the three Saudi carriers: Saudia, flynas, and flyadeal announced the suspension of all flights to and from Sudan until further notice.. Egyptair‘s suspension of services to Sudan will remain in effect for 72 hours or until further notice, depending on the situation in the country.
Social media footage shows Sudan’s RSF storming Khartoum International Airport with their vehicles and members carrying firearms through the passenger terminals. Khartoum International Airport is the main base for Sudan’s flag carrier, Sudan Airways, which currently operates an Airbus A320 aircraft. According to Flightradar24.com data, Sudan Airways’ Airbus A320 departed for Jeddah from Khartoum but did not return.
In a statement on Twitter, Sudan’s paramilitary announced that it also took control of Merowe Airport (MWE) and the military base. The recent incidents have raised concerns for Sudanese aviation, which had high hopes for the future with the launch of new routes and carriers, such as Badr Airlines’ flights between Khartoum and London Gatwick and the addition of Air Arabia Sudan.
We will continue to follow this breaking news story and provide updates on our platform as they become available. Stay tuned for more information on this developing situation.
Youssef Yahya is the CEO and Founder of Aviation for Aviators, a platform dedicated to the aviation industry. With over 3 years of experience as an aviation writer, Youssef is passionate about sharing his insights on aviation, entrepreneurship, and the broader business landscape. As a Teaching Assistant in Entrepreneurship at Nile University, he also nurtures the next generation of entrepreneurs. When he’s not exploring the skies or business ventures, you can find him saying, ‘Drag your coffee, and let’s talk aviation, entrepreneurship, and football.’
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Bassem Youssef