An Airlines PNG plane crashed into dense forest and burst into flames near the northeastern coast of Papua New Guinea Friday evening, reportedly killing 28 people.
A similar Airlines PNG Dash 8-100 (P2-MCP). (Photo by Jialiang Gao)
The de Havilland Dash 8-100 (P2-MCJ) was flying from Lae to Madang with 32 people on board when the plane crashed into dense forest near the mouth of the Gogol River, about 20 km south of its destination, according to an Australian Associated Press report.
Among the four survivors was one of the plane’s pilots, a 64-year-old Australia native. The condition of those survivors is not yet known.
Local villagers told a PNG radio station that a severe storm was passing through the area at the time of the accident.
Including this accident, a total of 83 people have been killed in seven Airlines PNG crashes in just 19 years. In 2009, a Twin Otter crashed into a mountain while performing a go around, killing all 13 on board.
Airlines PNG was founded in 1987 and operates a fleet of 10 Dash 8-100s, seven Twin Otters and one ATR-72. The airline has reportedly grounded their Dash 8 fleet in wake of this latest accident.
Airlines PNG Dash 8 crash site. (Map by Google Maps)
