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Indonesian Plane Carrying 54 Is Declared Missing in Papua Indonesian Plane Carrying 54 Is Declared Missing in Papua
(about 3 hours later)
JAKARTA, Indonesia — An Indonesian commercial airliner carrying 54 people vanished on Sunday amid inclement weather in the eastern region of Papua, an official said, as rescue teams hurried to reach the remote region. JAKARTA, Indonesia — Rescue teams were searching Monday for the wreckage of an Indonesian commercial aircraft carrying 54 people that was believed to have crashed on Sunday amid inclement weather in the eastern region of Papua.
The short-haul airliner, operated by Trigana Air Service, a local carrier, left Jayapura, the capital of Papua Province, on Sunday afternoon bound for Oksibil, which lies 170 miles to the south and is fairly close to the border of Papua New Guinea, said Toha, a spokesman at the command center of Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, in Jakarta. Crash investigators were also in Papua to begin trying to figure out what happened to the short-haul airliner, operated by Trigana Air Service, after it left Jayapura, the capital of Papua Province, on Sunday afternoon. It was bound for Oksibil, which lies 170 miles to the south and is fairly close to the border of Papua New Guinea, said Toha, a spokesman at the command center of Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, in Jakarta.
The plane lost contact with air traffic controllers about 33 minutes after takeoff, said Mr. Toha, who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name. He said search operations could not get underway Sunday because of darkness and the difficulty in accessing the remote terrain. Tatang Kurniadi, chairman of Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee, said Monday, “We have investigators on the ground now, and more will be going to Papua today, including myself.”
“We don’t know what happened. We have only gotten information that we have lost contact with it,” Mr. Toha said, referring to the aircraft. “We are waiting for information from Jayapura.” News service reports indicated that search teams spotted debris early Monday that was thought to be from the missing flight, but independent confirmation of that was not immediately available.
The plane lost contact with air traffic controllers about 33 minutes after takeoff, said Mr. Toha, who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name.
“We don’t know what happened,” Mr. Toha said.
The plane was carrying 49 passengers, including two children and three infants, along with five crew members from Trigana, Mr. Toha said, adding that the airliner had been scheduled to land in Oksibil less than 10 minutes before it disappeared from radar.The plane was carrying 49 passengers, including two children and three infants, along with five crew members from Trigana, Mr. Toha said, adding that the airliner had been scheduled to land in Oksibil less than 10 minutes before it disappeared from radar.
Heavy rain and strong winds were lashing the Oksibil area when contact was lost, said Susanto, the head of Papua’s search and rescue agency, according to The Associated Press.Heavy rain and strong winds were lashing the Oksibil area when contact was lost, said Susanto, the head of Papua’s search and rescue agency, according to The Associated Press.
The A.P. said he described accounts by residents of the village of Okbape to local police officers, saying that they had seen a plane flying low before crashing into a mountain.The A.P. said he described accounts by residents of the village of Okbape to local police officers, saying that they had seen a plane flying low before crashing into a mountain.
Mr. Susanto, who goes by one name, said about 150 rescuers were heading to the area, which is known for its dense forest and steep cliffs, and would begin searching for the plane early Monday. Mr. Susanto said about 150 rescuers were heading to the area, which is known for its dense forest and steep cliffs, and would begin searching for the plane early Monday.
Indonesia has suffered numerous spectacular commercial and military aircraft disasters in recent years, including two deadly crashes in the past eight months, raising questions about the safety of the country’s aviation industry. Indonesia has suffered numerous commercial and military aircraft disasters in recent years, including two deadly crashes in the past eight months, raising questions about the safety of the country’s aviation industry.
On Dec. 28, an AirAsia flight bound from Surabaya, the capital of East Java Province, crashed en route to Singapore, killing all 162 people aboard. In July, an Indonesian military C-130 transport plane crashed shortly after takeoff in the northern city of Medan, on Sumatra Island, killing all 122 people aboard and at least 21 people on the ground in a residential neighborhood.On Dec. 28, an AirAsia flight bound from Surabaya, the capital of East Java Province, crashed en route to Singapore, killing all 162 people aboard. In July, an Indonesian military C-130 transport plane crashed shortly after takeoff in the northern city of Medan, on Sumatra Island, killing all 122 people aboard and at least 21 people on the ground in a residential neighborhood.
Jakarta, the Indonesian capital, is on the island of Java, about 3,400 miles from Papua, which with its rugged mountains and thick jungles is one of the most remote regions on earth.
No-frills, regional commercial airlines such as Trigana are among the only ways that residents of the region, which encompasses both Papua and West Papua provinces, can travel by air.No-frills, regional commercial airlines such as Trigana are among the only ways that residents of the region, which encompasses both Papua and West Papua provinces, can travel by air.