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PNG plane crash kills three but five survive, says investigator PNG plane crash kills Australian pilot and two others, says investigator
(about 2 hours later)
Three people have died and five people have survived a plane crash near Papua New Guinea’s capital, an investigator says. The airline involved in a fatal plane crash in Papua New Guinea has confirmed an Australian pilot was on board.
The pilot, his co-pilot and a passenger were killed when the Hevilift twin otter aircraft went down just out of Port Moresby on Saturday morning.
Hevilift has updated the number of people on board and confirmed two crew and seven passengers were travelling on the plane when it went down.
Six passengers, all PNG nationals, survived and are being treated at a Port Moresby hospital. One survivor is in a critical condition.
A police spokesman, David Terry, said the Hevilift aviation charter service plane went down about 10km from Goldie, near Port Moresby, on Saturday morning, after leaving from the Goilala district.A police spokesman, David Terry, said the Hevilift aviation charter service plane went down about 10km from Goldie, near Port Moresby, on Saturday morning, after leaving from the Goilala district.
Initial reports said four people had died. It had also been reported that the pilot was Australian, but that has not been confirmed by authorities. “Hevilift’s thoughts and sympathy go to the families of those who have died in the crash and the company will continue to provide every assistance to the survivors,” the company said in a statement.
There are unconfirmed reports the plane had been chartered by a Catholic parish in Woitape.
William Seneka, from the PNG Accident Investigation Commission, said the pilot, female first officer and a passenger suffered fatal injuries.William Seneka, from the PNG Accident Investigation Commission, said the pilot, female first officer and a passenger suffered fatal injuries.
He said the bodies had been airlifted from the crash scene to Port Moresby.He said the bodies had been airlifted from the crash scene to Port Moresby.
“Our crews are onsite and they are going though the wreck and undertaking the site investigation at this stage,” he said.“Our crews are onsite and they are going though the wreck and undertaking the site investigation at this stage,” he said.
Seneka said the first officer was a woman who had been with the airline for a year and the pilot, believed to be an expatriate, was very experienced.Seneka said the first officer was a woman who had been with the airline for a year and the pilot, believed to be an expatriate, was very experienced.
He said the cause of the fatal crash was still unknown but at this stage there are not any issues with the aircraft or the crew.He said the cause of the fatal crash was still unknown but at this stage there are not any issues with the aircraft or the crew.
“The weather is a bit of a factor here,” he said. “There was low cloud in the area.”“The weather is a bit of a factor here,” he said. “There was low cloud in the area.”
Seneka said the Australian pilot, thought to be a expatriate, was very experienced.
The Twin Otter aircraft was travelling from Woitape to Port Moresby.The Twin Otter aircraft was travelling from Woitape to Port Moresby.
Local reports said the plane, thought to be a Twin Otter, was carrying eight people. The ABC reported an Australian pilot, another pilot and two passengers were killed.
The head of PNG’s Accident Investigation Commission, David Inau, told the ABC emergency services and accident investigators were at the crash site.
Inau said the cause of the crash was not yet clear. “It’s too early to say until [investigators] come back from the accident site,” he said.
However, Five people survived, he added.