Search for missing plane intensified

JAYAPURA, Papua: National Police Headquarters deployed at least 15 Mobile Brigade troopers on Thursday to search for a missing plane in Papua.

Besides the additional troopers, police headquarters also dispatched a helicopter and a Skytruck police aircraft to assist in the search, said Maj. Yayok Endari Sunar, the chief of the Search and Rescue Unit in Papua.

The search has been underway since a GT Air Twin Otter aircraft went missing between Timika and Enarotali Paniai on Tuesday. Seventeen people were on board the commercial aircraft. If the ill-fated plane is not found within one week, the search effort will be called off, said Yayok. -- JP