Malakal, South Sudan – March 30, 2025
In what he calls the most harrowing mission of his 43-year flying career, Ukrainian pilot Captain Serhiy Muzyka braved heavy gunfire, a bullet wound, and a critically damaged helicopter to complete a daring evacuation for the United Nations in South Sudan.
The 60-year-old, who began his aviation career in the Soviet army and has since flown in conflict zones like Afghanistan and Somalia, was on assignment with Ukrainian Helicopters, contracted by the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). But what started as a routine medevac turned into a near-death ordeal.
An Ambush in the Skies
On 7 March, Capt. Muzyka and his crew were on a second mission to extract wounded soldiers and UN personnel from Nasir, a volatile region in Upper Nile state, amid rising tension between rival military factions. Just as passengers were boarding the aircraft, gunfire erupted from multiple directions.
Muzyka was hit in the arm, his flight attendant Sergii Prykhodko fatally wounded, and his co-pilot injured by shattered glass. With blood streaming from his arm, the seasoned pilot made a split-second decision to take off, despite the chaos and damage.
“I saw soldiers falling. There was no time to think. It was instinct,” Muzyka told the BBC.
The helicopter, riddled with over 20 bullet holes, had sustained critical damage, including to its fuel tanks and main gearbox. Muzyka flew low—just 100 meters above ground—to increase chances of surviving an emergency landing. For nearly 49 minutes, he navigated toward Malakal airport, with blood on the controls and a shirt tied around his arm as a tourniquet.
Surreal Survival
Video footage captured inside the cockpit shows the wreckage: shattered windshields, bloodied panels, and injured crew members. Miraculously, Muzyka landed the helicopter safely despite a damaged front wheel.
“It felt like a dream,” he said. “Only when I landed did I start feeling the pain.”
Sadly, Mr. Prykhodko, 41, could not be saved.
A Warzone Within a Peace Mission
The rescue took place during a flare-up of tensions between forces loyal to South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and militias allied with Vice-President Riek Machar. Despite a 2018 peace deal aimed at unifying opposing factions, trust is scarce—and regions like Nasir remain flashpoints.
The White Army militia, sympathetic to Machar, had seized control of the base, prompting the UN to evacuate injured government-aligned troops. The assault that followed may constitute a war crime, according to UN officials.
Heroism Recognized
After the mission, Muzyka and his crew received the UN Medal of Honour for bravery under fire. He has since returned to Ukraine for treatment—and to be with family still facing war themselves amid the ongoing Russian invasion.
Despite the trauma, Muzyka remains passionate about flying.
“I know I should retire, but I still feel young when I’m in the air,” he said. “I just hope common sense prevails in the world.”
