The wreckage of North Coast Aviation’s (NCA) P2-SAM aircraft has been located, but no survivors have been seen so far.
A rescue helicopter from Port Moresby landed at the Manolos Aviation heliport in Lae at around 1:10 PM today, bringing four officers, including a pilot and loadmaster.
They were joined by NCA Operations Manager Jordan Thiele, two female medical staff, and a soldier from the Igam Engineering Battalion for the operation.
A doctor has also been deployed to the crash site.
The Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) confirmed the aircraft, carrying five people, went missing on Sunday while flying from Wasu Airstrip to Nadzab Airport.
An emergency signal was detected shortly after 10:30 AM, prompting a coordinated search involving Manolos Aviation, PNGDF, and other agencies.
Efforts to reach the site continue, but no survivors have been found yet.
The RCC assured the public that all resources are being used to locate and rescue anyone onboard.
Further updates will follow.