Indonesian air force plane crashes into mountains killing all 13 people on board
The Hercules C130 plane was on a training exercise in the remote region of Papua when it crashed, a search and rescue agency official said
AN Indonesian air force plane has crashed into the mountains, killing all 13 people on board.
The Hercules C130 plane was on a training exercise in the remote region of Papua when it crashed, a search and rescue agency official said.
It had taken off from the city of Timika before crashing near its destination of Wamena at around 6.15am local time.
Ivan Ahmad Riski Titus, operational director of Indonesia's Search and Rescue Agency, said the crash site had been found and the bodies of victims were being brought back to Wamena.
Air force chief of staff Agus Supriatna said the plane was carrying food supplies and cement when it crashed just minutes before it was scheduled to land.
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Bad weather and low clouds in Wamena are thought to have contributed to the crash, an official said.
He did not rule out the plane had hit a mountain and an investigation is underway.
The plane, which was bought in Australia where it was first used in the 80s, had more than 60 hours left until the next routine maintenance.
Air transport is often used in Papua, as the remote and mountainous location makes land travel often impossible.
Indonesia has been plagued with transport accidents in recent years.
The military, which is poorly funded, regularly suffers plane and helicopter crashes.
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