Search for chopper bears no fruit

JAYAPURA, Papua: A seven-aircraft search and rescue team Thursday continued its hunt for an Air Force helicopter that went missing the day before with four people on board without results.

One of the three helicopters in the team belonging to a Catholic mission landed in Lereh village in the Sentani area but local residents said they had seen and heard nothing on Wednesday.

The Twin Pack helicopter went missing on Wednesday morning while on a regular training session. The helicopter was on its way to Benawa from Sentani airport when it lost contact with airport controllers not long after takeoff. A pilot, a co-pilot and two mechanics were on board. -- JP