Kiwi pilot reported among Papua New Guinea crash survivors

An unnamed New Zealand pilot has survived a plane crash in Papua New Guinea, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs says.

The Airlines PNG Dash 8 was flying from Lae to Madang on the country's north coast when it crashed in dense forest near the mouth of the Gogol River, about 20 kilometres south of the resort centre of Madang yesterday evening with 32 people on board.

Only four were believed to have survived.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation quoted Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs as saying "initial indications" were that no Australians had lost their lives.

"Airlines PNG and local authorities have advised that there were 28 passengers and four crew on board. They understand that four people survived the crash, including one Australian pilot and one New Zealand pilot," a department spokeswoman said.

PNG Accident Investigation Commission spokesman Sid O'Toole said: "All I can tell you is there have been reports of survivors and reports there have been fatalities."

Airlines PNG said that it had grounded its fleet of 12 aircraft until further notice.

New Zealander Gary Toomey is chief executive of Airlines PNG. Mr Toomey was a former chief executive of Air New Zealand but before joining Airlines PNG was running his own consultancy business in Asia as well as being a director of Qantas Airways.

Local firefighter Joe Dunar said: "All the police and hospital personnel, they attended at about 9pm [11pm NZ time]." The crash happened about three hours earlier, according to the Australian authorities.

"It was hard to get there. Very dense," Mr Dunar said. He declined to comment on survivors.

Villagers reportedly told the National Broadcasting Commission, PNG's government- owned radio station, there were four survivors.

Duty manager at the Madang Resort Donald Lambert said six of the plane's occupants - one passenger and five crew - had booked to stay at the resort. "I went to meet them at the airport."

ABC Television cited Madang residents as saying there was a storm at the time of the crash.

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CAPTION:

An Airlines PNG Dash 8.