Plane With 13 Aboard Lost In Papua New Guinea

Airlines PNG said the De Havilland Twin Otter 300 had gone missing on a flight from the capital Port Moresby.

A passenger plane with 13 people on board is missing on a domestic flight in the South Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea, the airline and Australian officials said on Tuesday.

Airlines PNG, in a statement quoted by the Australian Broadcasting Corp., said the De Havilland Twin Otter 300 had gone missing on a flight from the capital Port Moresby to the tourist destination of Kokoda.

"The last communication from the missing aircraft was received as it approached Kokoda and an extensive search and rescue mission was activated after it failed to land," ABC quoted the statement as saying.

It said the aircraft had an emergency locator beacon, but no signal had been received.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs said nine Australians were among 11 passengers aboard the twin-engined turbo prop plane, operated by a two-man crew.

"A search is now under way for the aircraft," Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told the Australian parliament.

He said nearby airfields were being checked to see if the plane had landed, but low cloud cover in the area was making it difficult for searchers.

An Australian tour company said eight Australian tourists and a tour guide were on the plane, along with a local tour guide. Aviation is hazardous in Papua New Guinea due to rugged terrain, high mountains and rapidly changing weather conditions.

Airlines PNG, listed on the PNG stock exchange, operates to domestic destinations and to northern Australia. The company's Website said it eight Twin Otters in its fleet.

Australian tourists visit Kokoda to walk the Kokoda Track, where during World War Two Australian forces halted a Japanese troop advance on Port Moresby.