An Indonesian plane carrying at least 25 passengers and crew crashed today into the ocean of the eastern part of the archipelago, leaving no survivors, a navy official told ElShinta radio.
"I can confirm that all the passengers were killed when the plane exploded as it crashed into the sea."
Transport Ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan said, "The information I received, the aircraft sank because it was crashed in the deep sea."
He added that rescue workers and local fishermen are searching for victims.
At least 16 bodies had so far been recovered and 11 remain missing and feared dead, Papua police head Bekto Suprapto told MetroTV television channel.
The MA-60 aircraft, operated by Merpati Nusantara Airlines, carried 21 passengers--including two children and one infant--and six crew members, according to a spokesman of the transport ministry, in a report by News.Com.Au.
It took off from Sorong City in West Papua province bound to Kaimana district, which is about 400 kilometers (249 miles) down south.
The plane was reported to have crashed into Kaimana Bay, several hundred meters away from the airport, according to Nuno Sampurno, chief of the National Search and Rescue Agency.
It was believed the plane crashed due to poor visibility due to bad weather conditions.
Surapto confirmed that the plane broke into pieces and it was due to heavy rains that caused the crash. He added, "Some of the founded bodies was no longer intact."
Details of this report here.
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