American pilot dies in Indonesia plane crash

By Nicky Aulia Widadio

JAKARTA (AA) - An American pilot was killed as a utility aircraft crashed into a lake in Indonesia’s eastern Papua province on Tuesday.

Police spokesman Ahmad Kamal said the plane operated by Mission Aviation Fellowship, a Christian missionary organization, was carrying food supplies.

He said the body of the pilot, a 40-year-old US national, was retrieved but did not disclose his identity.

The spokesman confirmed there were no passengers on the aircraft.

Kamal said the plane took off from Sentani Airport in Papua at 6.27 a.m. local time (2127GMT) and was heading to Mamid district.

Two minutes later, the pilot asked air traffic control for an emergency landing and lost contact while flying above Lake Sentani, according to the official.

“A joint team is carrying out an investigation to ascertain the cause of the crash,” he said.

*Writing by Rhany Chairunissa Rufinaldo from Anadolu Agency's Indonesian language service in Jakarta