Twin Otter crashes at Kerema airstrip

A Twin Otter aircraft operated by Tropic Air crashed at Kerema airstrip in Gulf Province.

The plane, on a chartered flight for Total Energy, had just landed to pick up two female workers when it ran off the runway and into nearby scrubland.

Gulf Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector Jeffrey Lemb, confirmed the flight was transporting eight Total Energy workers returning from Purari.

Among the passengers were seven male nationals and one expatriate flight superintendent. The pilot and co-pilot were Fijian nationals.

Lemb reported that the flight superintendent suggested strong wind conditions may have played a role in the crash.

He explained that the adverse winds could have interfered with the aircraft's radar, causing it to veer off course and skid into a drainage area. Thankfully, no injuries were reported among the passengers or crew.

All passengers were safely evacuated, with five transported by a Hevilift helicopter to Port Moresby. The remaining three are awaiting their flight.