Here's the article from the Post Courier newspaper about the accident.
Plane crash
DEPUTY Governor of Madang Joe Tola was among eight people killed in a light plane crash at an airstrip he had just opened at Rai Coast on Saturday.
Also killed in the crash was former Rai Coast MP and Governor of Madang Stahl Musa.
There were no survivors of the plane owned by Islands Aviation.
Yesterday, a grieving Governor of Madang James Yali said it was the “biggest disaster in the province’’. He offered his condolences to the families and relatives of the victims.
“We are shocked. All my chairmen are in deep sorrow.” He said his government was contacting all the immediate family members of the plane crash.
Others killed were government officers Saun Yaboi, Ben Taumai, Paul Madu, Francis Kalana, the pilot Elizah Eliot and a Lutheran Church pastor from Rai Coast.
Mr Tola and his party flew to Rai Coast in an Islands Airways light aircraft to open the new airstrip at Guhu on the Finnestere Range. They were taking off from the airstrip to return to Madang after the ceremony when the plane crashed into a cliff. The cause of the crash is yet to be established.
A chartered helicopter retrieved the bodies of the victims yesterday and flew them to Madang hospital. On Friday and Saturday, Madang experienced heavy rain and strong winds.
Governor Yali said he had put off the opening of the airstrip this year because of the festive season. However, he said the administration had gone ahead and arranged the trip.
A councillor from Guhu walked all the way to the coast on Saturday night to alert the authorities about the crash yesterday morning.
“I received the message and contacted Civil Aviation Authority and the Disaster and Emergency office. Until this morning (yesterday morning), nobody knew,” (about the crash) he said.
He said he had already met with immediate family members of some of the victims.
Mr Yali said his government would draw up a funeral program and declare a day of mourning this week.
Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, Madang Regional MP Sir Peter Barter and East Sepik Governor Arthur Somare have sent their condolences to the victims’ families..
Guhu airstrip was one of two initiated by the late Mr Musa when he was Rai Coast MP in the last Parliament. The other strip is at Wangeto.
Post Courier online