NDO/VNA - All three people on board a small cargo aircraft which crashed in poor weather in Indonesia's Papua province, had been killed in the accident, security authorities say.

Intan Jaya district police chief Sandi Sultan said the authorities will remove the bodies of the victims and the black box of the plane from the scene, while the wreckage of the plane cannot be moved because the crash is on a high mountain, 2,400 meters above sea level.

Earlier, the Indonesian Ministry of Transport said that the Twin Otter 300 aircraft of Rimbun Air Cargo lost contact on the morning of September 15 in Intan Jaya district, Papua province. Ministry spokeswoman Adita Irawati said the plane took off at 6:40 am from Nabire district to Intan Jaya district and lost contact at 7:37 am, shortly before landing.

The plane was carrying essential goods and construction materials with three people on board including the main pilot, co-pilot and technician.

Jungle-covered Papua relies on air transport in the absence of substantial road networks and accidents involving light aircraft are common.