Indonesian passenger plane missing over Papua region

An Indonesian domestic passenger aircraft carrying 54 people lost contact with air traffic control today in the remote eastern Papua region, the National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) said.

"Lost contact with plane," BASARNAS chief Bambang Soelystyo told Reuters by phone.

According to the official BASARNAS Twitter account, the aircraft belonging to Trigana Air Service was carrying 44 adult passengers, five crew and five children and infants.

The plane was flying between Jayapura's Sentani Airport and Oksibil, due south of Jayapura, the capital of Papua province. (REUTERS)


The plane took off from Sentani airport in the region's capital Jayapura on a flight to Oksibil, located south of the city, but failed to arrive at its destination. (Image Courtesy: Daily Mail-UK)