Plane carrying 9 people missing in E. Indonesia

A small plane carrying nine people went missing yesterday during a short flight in mountainous eastern Indonesia, authorities said, with a search and rescue mission underway. The Swiss-made Pilatus aircraft lost contact with air traffic control during what was supposed to be a flight of around 40 minutes in remote Papua province, police said.

“Villagers in Okatem reported that they heard a loud roar from the plane followed by a big explosion,” Bintang regency police chief Michael Mumbunan told AFP.