Plane crash in Indonesia may have killed 18.
The rugged terrain and rain are hindering the efforts of rescue teams, who believe that everyone on board has died.
A small plane making a domestic flight in western Indonesia crashed on Thursday in a mountainous area. Authorities believe all 18 people on board died. Rugged terrain and rain are hindering rescue efforts as teams try to reach the wreckage.
The CASA C-212 aircraft was halfway through its 30-minute flight between the provinces of North Sumatra and Aceh when it lost contact with air traffic control, said Transport Ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan.
Minutes later, the twin-engine turboprop sent a distress signal and then disappeared from radar, Air Force Marshal Bonar Hutagaol told TVOne.
"I saw something strange," Agus, a witness who uses only one name, told the broadcaster. "A plane emitting smoke, flying very low before disappearing from my sight."
The plane, spotted during an aerial search near the mountain village of Bahorok, appears to be largely intact and its wings are attached to the rest of the aircraft, Ervan said. There was no sign of the 14 passengers and 4 crew members, he said.
Supri Sinaga, director of the local rescue group, said it will take hours for teams to reach the site due to torrential rains and rugged terrain.
The aircraft, manufactured in Indonesia in 1989, last underwent inspection on September 22, said Robur Rizallianto, an official at PT Nusantara Buana Air, the plane's owner. The aircraft's condition was good, and the pre-takeoff check on Thursday also showed no problems.
Indonesia, a country made up of thousands of islands with 240 million inhabitants, has recorded several accidents in its transportation system in recent years, in the air, rail, and sea sectors. Many blame overcrowding and low safety standards for the accidents. This information comes from the Associated Press.