At least 12 people, including the pilot, were killed after a light plane crashed into a swamp while landing at an airport in the Papua New Guinea's Western province.
According to reports, the twin-engine Britten Norman-Islander light plane suffered an engine failure mid-air before it crashed into a swamp, 1 kilometer short of the runway at Kiunga in central Papua New Guinean highlands, yesterday afternoon.
Operated by Sunbird Aviation, the aircraft was travelling back to Kiunga from the remote Oksapmin in the Star Mountains, an area accessible only by air or foot.
The Oceanian country, with rugged mountainous terrain and unpredictable weather has one of the most hazardous flying environments in the world. Many landing strips are built on sharp ridges or cut out of the dense jungle further challenging the flyers.
Meanwhile, the civil aviation authority is investigating the crash.
