All 13 people on board were killed when the plane crashed while approaching the rugged terrain during a bad weather. The De Havilland Twin Otter 300 plane was supposed to land at an airport near the country’s Kokoda Track, a famous mountainous trail. The plane’s crew radioed air traffic controllers as it was approaching the airstrip, but the aircraft never landed, said Allen Tyson, a spokesman for Airlines PNG.

An Australian tour company said eight Australian tourists and a tour guide were on the plane, along with a local tour guide.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said one Japanese citizen and three Papua New Guineans were also aboard. He said the aircraft had an emergency locator beacon, but no signal had been received.

Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith said the wreckage was located at an altitude of 5,500 feet (1,676 meters) and weather conditions were deteriorating, making searchers’ attempts to reach the aircraft by helicopter and on foot very difficult.