The Samaritan's Purse plane hijacking while en route to South Sudan.
✈️ What happened — hijacking of aid plane en route to South Sudan
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On 2 December 2025, a small turboprop aircraft operated by Samaritan’s Purse was hijacked shortly after takeoff from Juba International Airport in South Sudan. The plane was bound for Maiwut — a remote northeast county where the organization delivers medical supplies to support its mobile-medical unit. (AP News)
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The aircraft type was a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan. (Wikipedia)
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Onboard were the pilot and a Samaritan’s Purse staff member. There were no other passengers. (Spectrum Local News)
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The hijacker — later identified as Yasir Mohammed Yusuf, reportedly from the disputed Abyei Administrative Area — had smuggled himself on board and hid in the rear cabin before takeoff. (WSOC TV)
🕊 How it ended — safe landing, hijacker arrested, no injuries
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After several hours of flight under duress, the pilot persuaded the hijacker that the plane needed to refuel. The aircraft was diverted to Wau Airport, a town in Western Bahr el Ghazal state about 400 miles away. (AP News)
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Upon landing, security forces apprehended the hijacker immediately. No one on board — neither crew nor aid-staff — was hurt. Samaritan’s Purse released a statement expressing relief and gratitude to the security services. (Spectrum Local News)
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The flight’s humanitarian cargo — medicine destined for Maiwut — presumably remained aboard; no official report yet indicates loss or damage to the supplies. (WXII)
🎯 What Sriificant about the Incident — Aid Flight & Security in Conflict Zones
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The hijacked flight was performing a humanitarian medical delivery — not a commercial or military flight. That makes the incident a direct attack / interference against humanitarian aid efforts.
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The hijacker demanded to fly to another country — reportedly Chad — rather than the original destination. Motive remains unknown. Authorities have not clarified whether this was a politically motivated act, a criminal attempt, or a more complex motive tied to regional tensions. (Yahoo)
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The fact that the hijacker managed to board the plane by hiding in the cabin before takeoff raises serious security concerns at airports/airstrips, especially in conflict-prone or unstable regions like parts of South Sudan/Abyei. This may prompt humanitarian organisations to revisit their transport protocols and security screening for aid flights.
📰 Broader Context — Recent History of Samaritan’s Purse Flights in South Sudan
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The hijacking comes on the heels of a tragic accident: on 25 November 2025, a different plane chartered by Samaritan’s Purse reportedly crashed in Unity State, killing all three crew members. (AP News)
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This sequence — a crash followed by a hijacking within days — underscores the perilous environment for aid operations in South Sudan: logistical challenges, security threats, and ongoing instability.
🔍 What’s Unknown / What Needs Follow-up
| Open Question | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| What was the hijacker’s motive? — Why did he demand flight to Chad? | Determines if this was a criminal act, politically motivated, or symptomatic of broader insecurity in the region. |
| What happened to the aid cargo? — Were medical supplies compromised or delivered later? | Impacts humanitarian operations and trust of communities depending on aid. |
| What security lapses allowed the hijacker onboard? | Could point to gaps at airports/airstrips used by aid orgs; may force protocol changes. |
| Will this affect future relief flights? | Could delay or restrict humanitarian aid, worsening conditions for vulnerable populations. |
📰 Proposed Article: Draft for Publishing
Title: Samaritan’s Purse Aid Plane Hijacked in South Sudan — Gunman Arrested After Emergency Landing, No Injuries Reported
Subtitle: Cessna Caravan carrying medicines diverted to Wau after hijacker demands flight to Chad; humanitarian mission resumes after swift intervention.
Lead: A small aid plane operated by U.S.-based relief organisation Samaritan’s Purse was hijacked on 2 December 2025 while delivering medical supplies in South Sudan. The hijacker, who reportedly demanded the aircraft be flown to Chad, was arrested after the plane landed safely in Wau — and no one was harmed, the group confirmed.
Body Sections:
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Flight details & cargo purpose (medicine to Maiwut)
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Hijacking — what happened, hijacker identity
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How pilot regained control & landed safely in Wau
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Official statements (Samaritan’s Purse, South Sudan security forces)
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Context: humanitarian flights in volatile regions, recent crash in Unity State
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What next: investigations, security review, impact on aid operations
Closing: Emphasize the precarious balance between delivering aid and operating safely in unstable regions; the importance of humanitarian work — and call for robust security for such missions.
📚 Sources & Verification
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“Gunman hijacks aid plane in South Sudan and is arrested after refueling stop” — AP News (AP News)
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“Hijacking of Samaritan’s Purse plane in South Sudan thwarted, group says” — Spectrum Local News (Charlotte) (Spectrum Local News)
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“Samaritan’s Purse plane hijacked in South Sudan” — WXII12 / WBTV coverage (WXII)