Prime Minister: Landing of plane in Port Moresby under probe

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said today an investigation is underway into the alleged unauthorised landing of a charted plane at the Jackson Airport in Port Moresby last Friday.

 This plane is allegedly a chartered jet with certain foreign nationals on board en route to a country in the region.

 “The landing of this aircraft in the country is now the subject of an investigation," O'Neill said.

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill

" Its crew and certain individuals on board are being questioned by relevant government agencies as part of this investigation.

 “The arrival of this plane has been the subject of intense scrutiny by the media and speculations and allegations in the last two days.

 “These speculations are baseless and false. 

"From information made available to me to date, there is no evidence of improper conduct or dealing by any minister in my cabinet.

 “The investigation by police, immigrations and customs (IRC) is still ongoing and once it is concluded, the full facts will be announced to the public.

 “These organisations will announce their findings and determine what to do with the plane, its crew and the individuals that were on board.” 

O'Neill will not condone alleged international criminal fugitives arriving on PNG soil illegally. 

O'Neill today categorically rejected  as "evidently false" a local newspaper front page story and viral social media allegations linking his government to alleged fugitives arriving in a Boeing 737 jetliner which made an unexpected illegal landing  at Jackson's Airport on Friday evening.

 "To link that aircraft's unexpected illegal landing, its passengers and cargo to anyone including my ministers and myself is utterly and absolutely false," the Prime Minister said. 

"These allegations which obviously are speculative and designed to smear our government are not supported by evidence and therefore are not true, period!"  

O'Neill said the incident was being investigated by police, customs, civil aviation and immigration authorities.

 "The government's appropriate law enforcement agencies are handling this matter," he said.

 "I have received no report of the investigation yet. 

"I have been made aware of the incident. 

"Whether the passengers are  internationally wanted persons for alleged crimes will be made known after the investigations.

 "Similarly, we will know what type of cargo is aboard that aircraft after the probe.

 "I appeal to Papua New Guinean social media commentators and mainstream media workers and organisations to be responsible and truthful when commenting or writing about national issues."