11 feared dead in Indonesia plane crash

MIMIKA, Indonesia, April 17 (UPI) -- A reported 11 people were feared dead in the crash of a small chartered plane Friday in remote eastern Indonesia, police said.

Rescue teams said they would be unable to search for the wreckage until Saturday because of bad weather in the isolated Mount Gergaji area near Mimika in the Papua province.

Officials told CNN they still were getting a signal from the plane, which was reported chartered by the local government.

Carrying three election officials with documents from the April 9 legislative polls, the plane took off from Ilaga for the remote highlands on what was expected to be a half-hour flight. But, officials said air traffic control lost contact and later confirmed there had been a crash.

The Jakarta Post said those aboard included nine passengers, including two children, plus the pilot and co-pilot.