Wreckage of missing Indonesian plane found in Papua: residents

Residents reported seeing the wreckage of a passenger plane that was carrying 54 people when it went missing Sunday while over a remote area of Indonesia's eastern Papua province, a rescue official said.

The ATR 42 aircraft operated by local carrier Trigana Air disappeared from radar at 2:55 pm local time (0555 GMT) while on a 55-minute flight from the provincial capital Jayapura to Oksibil, officials said.

"We received information that the plane hit a mountain about 25 kilometres from Oksibil," said Susanto, a search and rescue official in Jayapura.

"We are sending people to confirm the report," he said. "We may be able to get there in the morning."

He said the area was difficult to reach because of its mountainous terrain.

Earlier a Trigana Air official said the search was called off because of darkness and bad weather.

The plane was carrying 49 passengers, including five children, and five crew members. 

Papua relies on air transport because of limited road networks through its jungle.