FIVE people have been killed after the light aircraft they were travelling crashed in sand dunes near Lockhardt River in Far North Queensland today.
The charter flight left Cairns this morning and was reported missing after it failed to land at Lockhardt River about 11am.
Cairns police acting Chief Superintendent Chris Hodgman said the plane had made two attempts to land at the airstrip, but tragically crashed on the third attempt.
He said the plane came to rest in sand dunes about four kilometres from the Lockhart River community.
A search and rescue operation was launched after the plane failed to arrive, with police officers coming across the wreckage about 1.20pm.
The five people on board were all believed to be Cairns residents, with four of government employees.
"We know there was five people on board the plane that has crashed into some sand dunes, with some wreckage and no one survived that," Supt Hodgman said.
"All I can say is they're from a department here in Cairns and we're working with that department and with grief counselors and other family liaison officer experts.
Supt Hodgman said weather conditions at the scene were challenging and it would be some time before their bodies could be repatriated.
"The weather conditions are really rough up there at the moment.
"It took us quite some time to locate the plane, it was overdue from 11am and it wasn't until 1.20pm that we actually located the wreckage.
"Emergency services did have a search and rescue mission up and running for a couple of hours before we located the plane.
"We had a number of planes leaving from Cairns and up the Cape and also had the emergency services rescue helicopter and others inbound at the time.
"Two officers from Lockhardt River unfortunately came across the devastating scene, it was a tragic scene for them to come across."
But Supt Hodgman said it was too early to determine the cause of the crash.
"It is quite interesting terrain up there, there are some monsoonal winds and rain up there at the moment so they are providing some challenging conditions."
Supt Hodgman said an Inspector from Weipa was at the scene and detectives would conduct a joint investigation with experts from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, who were yet to arrive at the remote location.
The crash occurred in a similar area near Lockhardt River to where another air disaster occurred 15 years ago, claiming 15 lives.
In the May 7, 2005 incident Aero-Tropics Air Services Flight 675 crashed also while approaching the Lockhardt River airport.
