A plane carrying 11 people has vanished near the Indonesian city of Makassar, triggering an extensive search operation across a mountainous region.
The ATR 42-500, operated by Indonesia Air Transport, departed Yogyakarta bound for Makassar on Sulawesi island with three passengers and eight crew members aboard.
Communication with the aircraft ceased shortly after 1pm local time on Saturday.
Muhammad Arif Anwar, who leads the Makassar search and rescue agency, confirmed teams had been dispatched to the mountainous terrain of Maros Regency, situated adjacent to Makassar and close to where the aircraft was last tracked.
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Flight-tracking service Flightradar24 reported the aircraft's final signal was detected approximately 20 kilometres northeast of Makassar Airport.
Andi Sultan, operations chief at the Makassar search and rescue agency, stated rescue personnel were being sent to the location, with a helicopter and drones assisting in the effort to locate the plane.
The search involves the air force, police and civilian volunteers operating both on the ground and from the air.
ATR, the manufacturer of the missing plane, has been informed that an accident has occurred in Indonesia.
The path of Air Indonesia Transport plane for flight PK-THT | FLIGHTRADAR24The company said specialists are engaged in supporting the investigation led by Indonesian authorities and the airline.
Indonesia, an archipelago nation spanning thousands of islands, depends heavily on aviation to link its far-flung territories.
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