A New Zealander and three Australians died as a chartered plane slid off a wet runway and burst into flames in Papua New Guinea's Milne Bay Province yesterday.
Another New Zealander, the co-pilot, who is also an Australian permanent resident, survived the accident.
He is now in hospital in a critical condition.
New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has said they were providing consular assistance.
One of the fatalities was marine pilot Sydney-sider, Chris Hart, 61, Brisbane-based Australian Reef Pilots (ARP) confirmed. He was on his way to guide a ship from Misama through the Great Barrier Reef.
Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith confirmed last night five were on board the Tuesday afternoon flight.
"It is with deep regret that I advise Trans Air has confirmed that four of those on board, including three Australians and one New Zealand citizen, have died," Smith said.
"One of the New Zealanders, who is also an Australian permanent resident, survived the accident.
"He received heavy bruising but is conscious and able to talk," he said.
The owner of charter company Trans Air, Les Wright, is believed
to be one of three Australians who died.
Another passenger, a worker for medivac company International SOS,
has been confirmed dead.
An International SOS spokesman told AAP the company was speaking to
family.
"We have lost a staff member, at this difficult time our thoughts
are with the family," he said.
Another industry source told AAP: "Les Wright from Trans Air was on
board and died."
Misima police Chief Sergeant Moses Hilibobo told The Australian newspaper last night: "According to eyewitnesses, the plane landed, couldn't brake and crashed into palm trees. It was a small twin-engined jet.
"Four people were killed - actually they were burnt in the flames when it (the plane) crashed on landing."
The sole survivor, thrown clear when the plane crashed, was believed to be the co-pilot, Hilibobo said.
A local, Eluida Killion, also told the paper a rescue team, including local police and government officials, had tried to help but been unable to do so because the "plane had lots of flames and fire".
"When they got there, there was not much they could do because the plane was already on fire," Killion said.
Trans Air, which runs a charter and medivac service in PNG, is
linked to Lockhart River in north Queensland, where 15 people died
in a plane crash in 2005.
In August 2007 Queensland coroner Michael Barnes blamed pilot Brett
Hotchin and airline Transair for the Lockhart disaster.
Barnes was critical of Transair and its chief pilot Les Wright for
failing to adequately monitor the airline's pilots and ensure they
were complying with company and CASA policies.
Wright, who moved to PNG after the crash, was "stretched too far"
working as Transair's chief pilot, CEO and a working line pilot,
Barnes said.
ARP managing Director Craig Southerwood said their staff who were on the ground waiting to meet Hart had witnessed the accident.
Locals said the weather had been wet and windy all day.
The New Zealand High Commissioner Marion Crawshaw and Australian government officials are on their way to Papua New Guinea.
PNG's rugged landscape and unpredictable weather makes for incredibly tough flying conditions but a lack of institutional support for aviation safety has also plagued the industry.
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