13 Oct 2005

Indonesian aircraft missing in Papua

9:00 am on 13 October 2005

An Indonesian Air Force Twin Pac helicopter is reported to have gone missing while on a routine training flight in Papua yesterday.

The Antara News agency reports that the helicopter has a crew of four.

A spokesman for the Air Force says the helicopter took off from Sentani airport in the provincial capital, Jayapura, earlier in the day and failed to report to the control tower from about one hour afterwards

The Air Force has combed the area surounding Sentani airport using two helicopters and will continue the searching operation today.