Indonesia: Missing plane found in southern mountains

By Ainur Rohmah

JAKARTA

A plane that went missing with 10 people on board in central Indonesia three days ago has been found in the mountains of South Sulawesi, according to local police.

South Sulawesi Regional Police spokesperson Frans Barung Mangera told Anadolu Agency on Monday that the wreckage of the Aviastar airline Twin Otter turboprop had been discovered thanks to information from locals.

"The aircraft was found around 3.00 p.m. (GMT0900)," he said.

Indonesian news website Detik.com reported the head of national search and rescue agency Basarnas, Bambang Soelistyo, as saying that he had received pictorial evidence of the discovery from Luwu Regency.

"I have already confirmed the discovery by seeing the picture and also communicating with (SAR) personnel at the location. So, I confirmed tonight that the plane had been found," said Soelistyo.

There was no mention of survivors or of the plane's condition.

The Twin Otter lost contact with air traffic control during a 70-minute flight Friday en route from Masamba town to the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar.

According to the flight’s manifest, the plane had been carrying seven passengers -- including a child and two infants -- and three crew.