19 Apr 2005

Police confirm all 17 people on board crashed plane in Papua dead

10:17 am on 19 April 2005

Police in the Indonesian province of Papua say all 17 passengers of a light aircraft that crashed in mountains are dead.

The Indonesian national police spokesman, Zainuri Lubis, says searchers yesterday located the bodies of 14 passengers and three crew.

Mr Lubis says the remains will be taken out on Monday.

The Twin Otter left Timika last Tuesday for a 30-minute flight to the central highland town of Enarotali, but contact with the aircraft was lost shortly after takeoff.

The central mountain range of Papua has claimed many lives through air crashes.