Possible crash site found for missing plane

Officials say a possible crash site has been located for the charter plane carrying 13 people – including nine Australians – which went missing near a popular tourist site in Papua New Guinea today.

Officials say a possible crash site has been located for the charter plane carrying 13 people – including nine Australians – which went missing near a popular tourist site in Papua New Guinea today.

The twin-engine plane left the capital of Port Moresby en route to an airport near the country’s Kokoda Track, a mountainous 60-mile (100-kilometre) trail.

The plane’s crew radioed air traffic controllers as it was approaching the airstrip, but the aircraft never landed, said Allen Tyson, a spokesman for Airlines PNG.

A search and rescue mission was immediately launched, Mr Tyson said.

The plane, carrying 11 passengers and two crew, had an emergency locator beacon but it was not transmitting, he said.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told reporters in Canberra that a helicopter searching for the plane had landed in a village thought to be near a “possible crash site” today.

“I say a ’possible crash site’ because authorities, PNG Airlines and Australian officials are relying on information relayed by villagers on the ground,” Mr Smith said.

Efforts to locate the plane were being hampered by bad weather, low visibility and rugged terrain in the mountainous region.

“We hope, weather permitting, that a substantially enhanced search and rescue effort can commence tomorrow morning,” Mr Smith said.

The Kokoda Track is a popular tourist destination for Australians.

On board the plane were eight Australian tourists and an Australian tour guide planning to walk the trail as part of a trek organised by the Australian adventure tour company No Roads Expeditions, the company said in a statement.

Another guide from Papua New Guinea was also on board, the company said.

“We hold grave concerns for their safety and well-being,” Mr Smith said.

The Australian High Commission in Port Moresby was working with authorities in the Pacific island nation to determine what happened, he added.

Searchers were also checking other small airstrips in the area to see if the plane may have landed elsewhere.

more courts articles

Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother
Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van
Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman

More in this section

French legislators ponder law to ban discrimination based on a person’s hair French legislators ponder law to ban discrimination based on a person’s hair
China ends tariffs on Australian wine as relations between countries thaw China ends tariffs on Australian wine as relations between countries thaw
US military drains giant wartime fuel tanks which had poisoned water supply US military drains giant wartime fuel tanks which had poisoned water supply
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited