Canada’s Sudan relief flights held up by mechanical difficulties

After one of Canada's planned evacuation flights out of Sudan ran into mechanical problems Friday, Defence Minister Anita Anand said the problem has been resolved and officials hope the airlift will resume as soon as possible.

The problem emerged just one day after Canada began its long-anticipated humanitarian mission in the east African country, now in the midst of a precarious ceasefire between two warring factions.

Canada has been staging its evacuation flights out of the nearby nation of Djibouti. Two aircraft are assigned to the mission.

Anand did not say where the C-130J encountered its mechanical issues, or what the nature of the problem was, or why the second aircraft could not fly.

We are hoping flights will resume as soon as possible. That is what we are working towards, Anand told reporters at a media availability in Dartmouth, N.S.

We need to ensure that occurs safely and that's the question on the table right now.

WATCH: Defence minister gives update on evacuation efforts

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Defence minister says about 250 Canadians evacuated from Sudan

Minister of National Defence Anita Anand says Canada has three aircrafts in the region and that flights will resume 'as soon as possible.'

She said the mechanical problem has now been resolved.

Anand brushed aside questions about specifics, saying federal officials will have more to say at a briefing this afternoon. A defence source said the transport aircraft was on the ground in Djibouti and was unable to take off.

Canadians and other foreign nationals have been caught in the crossfire of Sudan's civil conflict after violence broke out last week between the east African country's army and a paramilitary force.

The fragility of Sudan's truce was underscored Friday by reports that a Turkish evacuation plane came under fire at an airbase outside Sudan's capital Khartoum as it was coming in to land.

The Turkish defence ministry said no one was injured and it landed safely at Wadi Seidna, where it was being checked.

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The Sudanese army blamed paramilitary fighters with the Rapid Support Forces faction for the attack on the Turkish aircraft. The RSF denied the allegation, saying it was committed to the extended humanitarian truce.

The two sides agreed late Thursday to a three-day extension of their ceasefire, which had been set to expire.

Aside from security, Anand said the condition of the runway at the Sudanese military airport is an increasing source of concern for Canada and its allies.

The terrain at the airport is very rough and it requires a continual assessment by our officials, together with our allies, that planes can safely take off, she said.

Anand said roughly 250 Canadians have been evacuated so far. Of that number, 117 were airlifted by the Canadian military.

Murray Brewster (new window) · CBC News