Rescue teams have reached the Merpati Nusantara de Havilland Canada Twin Otter that crashed in west Papua on 2 August, and have confirmed all 15 passengers were killed.

The priority now is evacuating the crash victims, says Merpati. The airline is also not sure what caused the crash, and uncertain if the aircraft's flight data recorder has been retrieved.

The victims number 15. Merpati says the flight carried three crew and 12 passengers. Two passengers were infants.

Indonesia's Directorate General of Air Communications (DGAC) will investigate the crash, says Merpati.

The aircraft crashed on 2 August 23nm (43km) north of Oksibil town. The wreckage is on a plateau in the Bintang mountains in West Papua.

The downed aircraft is a 30-year old de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter with the Indonesian registration PK-NVC. It was one of five Twin Otters in Merpati's fleet.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news