Ukrainian helicopter crew faces deadly shoot-out in South Sudan rescue mission

In South Sudan, a grave incident unfolded on March 4, 2025, when a shoot-out occurred during an evacuation operation at a military base in Nasir, located in the northern state of Upper Nile. A Ukrainian helicopter crew, employed by Ukrainian Helicopters and contracted by the UN Mission in South Sudan, was tasked with evacuating six injured South Sudanese soldiers, among them a general, alongside negotiators. The operation was initially a routine troop rotation, but tensions escalated rapidly as the White Army seized control of the military base. After completing a successful extraction of ten individuals on March 6, the crew, led by Captain Muzyka, prepared for what they anticipated to be a straightforward maneuver to evacuate those injured. However, chaos erupted soon after they arrived on-site; gunfire broke out unexpectedly, resulting in the death of a crew member and more than two dozen South Sudanese soldiers. Captain Muzyka described the moment as surreal, stating he thought it was a dream. The attack left the crew in a precarious situation; the helicopter endured damage, rendering one of its front wheels inoperable. As the shooting intensified from multiple directions, Captain Muzyka's military experience informed his response—flying as fast and low as possible to avoid further injury to his crew and the wounded passengers. They managed to escape the immediate area while sustaining injuries themselves, with one crew member suffering severe wounds. Upon reaching Malakal, immediate medical attention was administered to both crew members and passengers. The tragedy of losing a fellow crew member weighed heavily on Captain Muzyka and his remaining team, compounded by their ongoing worries for family members back home amidst escalating violence from Russian forces. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the realities faced by military and humanitarian efforts in regions rife with conflict, and it raises significant concerns regarding the safety of international personnel working under such perilous conditions.