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A small Twin Otter cargo plane, owned by private operator Aviastar, went missing 30 minutes into its flight over the mountainous central region of Papua, a spokesman for the national safety body said on Monday.

J.A. Barata, of the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT), said that Aviastar’s Twin Otter, registered as PK-BRO, had gone missing while flying from Dekay in the Yahukimo district to Wamena in the neighboring district of Jayawijaya, with three people on board.

“It was supposed to be a 30-minute flight,” he said, adding that it was scheduled to arrive in Wamena at 4 p.m.

The plane, he said, was captained by Frans Noble and co-piloted Dedi Sudrajat, and carried one crew member, Ahmad Khaironi, and cargo.

“We are deploying a team to join the search tomorrow,” said Filman, safety manager of Aviastar, adding that Monday’s search was halted as darkness fell.

Barata said the safety body would not send a team to probe the accident until it received accurate preliminary data from the National Search and Rescue Team.

Aviastar is a Jakarta-based airline that has operated chartered planes since 2000. According to its Web site, the airline uses both a BAe 146-300 and a Twin Otter plane, out of five they are operating, to carry food every month to Wamena.

On April 9, the day of the legislative elections, a BAe 146-300 plane carrying logistics materials crashed while attempting to land, in Wamena, killing all six crew on board.

In January 2008, Aviastar’s DHC-6 Twin Otter plane crashed in Paniai district, Papua, after it skidded off the runway at the district’s Sugapa Airport. One of its 15 passengers was killed in the acciden t.

In February 2005, 14 people died after a Cassa 212 plane belonging to the National Police went down in Mararena River in Jayapura.

Papua’s mountainous topography has forced locals to rely on air transportation to deliver various goods, as well as for transportation.