Airlines of PNG Twin Otter crash

The aircraft went missing on Tuesday…
The only place in the highlands I ever got to fly in was Mt Hagan and i have to say PNG has some of the most dangerous airstrips around.

My sympathies to all those who have lost loved ones

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/13/2654201.htm

Papua New Guinea recovery teams will today attempt to retrieve the bodies of 13 people who died when their twin-engined plane crashed in mountainous terrain near the Kokoda Track.

Police and villagers are hacking a temporary helicopter pad out of jungle on a steep mountainside near the crash site, high in the Owen Stanley range just south of Kokoda.

A stream of civilian helicopters, a helicopter from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force, and an Australian Sea King helicopter have left Port Moresby international airport bound for the crash site.

Forensic police investigators and aircraft crash investigators are expected to land and carry out their work while the bodies are retrieved and taken down to Kokoda later today.

The work of local authorities will be assisted by Australian officials, including investigators from the Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) and Australian Defence Force helicopters.

Nine Australians were on the Airlines PNG Twin Otter when it crashed in stormy weather on Tuesday.

Back in the capital Port Moresby, relatives of the dead locals are gathering to mourn and plan funerals.

But PNG Civil Aviation Minister Don Polye says bad weather will need to clear before the rescue teams can fly in.

“I can inform that the working partnership between Australia and PNG has been very positive. I’m now confident that they will bring to light some of the details that we need to represent, especially to the relatives of those who were on board,” he said.

In Port Moresby, relatives have gathered at the offices of Airlines PNG. Among them is Marinda Buka, whose cousin Kingsley was on board.

“We’re just trying to understand how this all happened; this is very shocking to us,” Ms Buka said

“We will do the funeral arrangements as normal, with the assistance of PNG Airlines.”

She says the airline has offered to pay for the funeral.

“They told us that they will take care of that. They say they are responsible and they will assist us in every way they could,” she said.

But she says that does not make her feel any better.

“The hurt is there, it’s painful. As they say blood is thicker than water. It’s painful to leave somebody that you love so much, [who has] been a part of you in such a tragic death. It’s very painful.”