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Indonesian plane crash: All 54 bodies recovered in Papua | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Indonesian rescuers have found the bodies of all 54 people who were onboard a Trigana Air plane that crashed in the western Papua region. | |
The head of the search and rescue agency said his team had found the aircraft completely destroyed and partially burnt. | |
The plane came down on Sunday in dense forest in a mountainous area, close to its destination of Oksibil. | |
It was carrying 44 adult passengers, five children, and five crew members. | |
The plane was also said to be carrying about 6.5 billion rupiah ($486,000; £300,000) in cash, which was due to be distributed to poor families in the area. Officials have not said whether this has been located. | |
Members of the rescue team - made up of about 100 police, military and civilians - began reaching the site on Tuesday morning. | |
Bambang Soelistyo, head of Indonesia's search and rescue agency, told reporters: "The plane was totally destroyed and all the bodies were burned and difficult to identify." | |
A spokesman for the transport ministry said bad weather was hampering efforts to remove the bodies but they would eventually be taken to the provincial capital for formal identification. | |
Mr Soelisyo said rescuers were now hunting for the plane's flight data recorders, known as black boxes, which should shed light on what caused the accident. | |
The ATR42-300 twin turboprop plane took off from Sentani airport in Jayapura at 14:21 local time on Sunday, but lost contact with air traffic controllers half an hour later. | The ATR42-300 twin turboprop plane took off from Sentani airport in Jayapura at 14:21 local time on Sunday, but lost contact with air traffic controllers half an hour later. |
Bad weather is believed to have been a possible reason for the crash. A search plane was forced to turn back on Sunday because of dangerous flying conditions. | Bad weather is believed to have been a possible reason for the crash. A search plane was forced to turn back on Sunday because of dangerous flying conditions. |
Oksibil, which is about 280km south of Jayapura, is a remote, mountainous region, which is extremely difficult to navigate. | Oksibil, which is about 280km south of Jayapura, is a remote, mountainous region, which is extremely difficult to navigate. |
Trigana Air has had 14 serious incidents since it began operations in 1991, losing 10 aircraft in the process, according to the Aviation Safety Network. | Trigana Air has had 14 serious incidents since it began operations in 1991, losing 10 aircraft in the process, according to the Aviation Safety Network. |
It has been on a European Union blacklist of banned carriers since 2007. All but four of Indonesia's certified airlines are on the list. | It has been on a European Union blacklist of banned carriers since 2007. All but four of Indonesia's certified airlines are on the list. |
Indonesia has suffered two major air disasters in the past year. | Indonesia has suffered two major air disasters in the past year. |
Last December, an AirAsia plane crashed in the Java Sea, killing all 192 people on board - and in July a military transport plane crashed in a residential area of Medan, Sumatra, claiming 140 lives. | Last December, an AirAsia plane crashed in the Java Sea, killing all 192 people on board - and in July a military transport plane crashed in a residential area of Medan, Sumatra, claiming 140 lives. |