A small cargo plane crashed Monday at an airport in Indonesia’s Papua province, killing the pilot and seriously injuring his co-pilot.
Airport manager Hermann Sotego said the plane operated by Smart Air was carrying food supplies from the town of Timica when it crashed moments before landing at Amingo Ilaga airport.
“The pilot died in hospital from injuries, and the other one is injured,” Sotego said. He said the cause of the accident was unknown. A local military commander, Major Eddie Dipramono, said it was unlikely that the accident was the result of a rebel attack.
Papua, which is covered in forests, relies on air transport, with no road network, and accidents with light aircraft are common there.
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