First body recovered is polit of NCA plane crash

Expressing his heartfelt condolences to the families of the pilot and passengers of the NCA plane crash, the Deputy Prime Minister and Member for Lae John Rosso has confirmed, that the first body that the Search and Rescue team transported back to Lae from the crash site today, is that of the pilot.

The Deputy Prime Minister announced, that it is with great regret that tragically, there were no survivors.

He further revealed that the plane was carrying four passengers with the pilot as the fifth person on board, when it lost control at an altitude of approximately 8, 400 feet, before plunging into the dense forest between Sapmanga and Yalumet.

Confirming the statement from the Manolos Aviation's Chief Executive Officer, Captain Jurgen Ruh that there was no struggle from the passengers when the plane crashed, the Deputy Prime Minister says all five occupants died on impact, as there was a fire explosion right after the plane crashed.

Rosso stated that authorities are prioritizing the recovery of the other passengers but nonetheless, investigations are currently underway to establish the cause of this crash.