Autopsies for Papua New Guinea crash victims in Queensland

September 3, 2010 - 1:34PM

AAP

 

The bodies of the four victims of this week's plane crash in Papua New Guinea will be transported to Brisbane for autopsies, after being released by a PNG coroner.

The bodies of the three Australians and one New Zealander will be flown to Brisbane as soon as a large commercial aircraft becomes available, an Australian government source told AAP on Friday.

The New Zealander's body was expected to be repatriated home from Australia at a later date.

Moving farewell

Misima Island authorities preparing to repatriate the dead victims of the plane crash to Port Moresby yesterday.Picture by SINEWATHA ISHMAEL

Islanders turn up in force to send off crash victims

By STEPHANIE ELIZAH

MISIMA Islanders were in mourning as they turned up yesterday at Bwagaioa station to say goodbye to four expatriates who were killed in a plane crash on Tuesday, The National reports.

Government offices, businesses and schools on this Milne Bay island were closed as islanders and public servants paid their respect to the victims of the crash.

The laid-back island has suddenly become the focus of world attention 48 hours earlier when a Cessna Citation jet, with three Australians and two New Zealanders, crashed upon landing in bad weather.

The islanders came in droves, in their best dress, to farewell the four people whom many of them had probably never met.

School children led the farewell entourage, forming a “guard of honour” from the island’s health centre morgue to the airport where a Airlines PNG Twin Otter was waiting to take the bodies to Port Moresby.

The line stretched about 500m between the morgue and the airstrip. All district administration vehicles also lined up for the farewell.

The islanders sang traditional hymns, some shed tears and many threw flowers on the path leading to the waiting aircraft.

The bodies, wrapped in body-bags, were carried by district health and administration workers.

“We were preparing the bodies when school children and public servants lined up to pay their last respect,” Samarai-Murua district administrator Hayden Abraham said from Misima.

Shortly after midday, the Twin Otter left for Port Moresby where the bodies will be treated and handed over to their immediate family members.

In Port Moresby, investigators announced that the Trans Air Citation jet’s black box had been recovered from the crash site.

This instrument, which records operation details of the aircraft, will help investigators better un-derstand the cause of the crash which killed the four and injured the 25-year-old co-pilot of the chartered aircraft.

Civil Aviation Accident Investigation Commission chief executive officer David Inau said five investigators had been assigned to the case.

“I have formally invited the Australian transport safety bureau to assist with the investigations. I have already a team of three on site working with us,” he said.

The Australian High Commission said those who died were Port Moresby-based Trans Air co-owner Lesley Wright, Richard “Chris” Hart and Darren Moore. A New Zealand citizen killed was unnamed.

Co-pilot Kelby Cheyne survived the crash.  

Commission officials and a medical team travelled to Misima to assist with Cheyne’s medical evacuation and to facilitate the repatriation of the remains of the deceased.

It said it was working with police and local authorities to have the remains repatriated to Australia at the earliest opportunity.

The high commission said consular officers in Port Moresby and Canberra were working with the airline company and local authorities to keep the families of those affected by the crash informed on developments.

Officials were also in contact with their New Zealand counterparts.

Papua New Guinea safety inspector among crash victims

CIVIL Aviation Minister Benjamin Poponawa has promised a full and thorough investigation into the air crash in Misima, Milne Bay, that killed four people, The National reports.

He said the Accident Investigation Commission (AIC), under its chief executive officer David Inau, would conduct a thorough and independent investigation in accordance with international civil aviation rules with the help of Australian experts.

“The AIC has invited the technical assistance of CASA PNG, the operator, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and other independent agencies.

“Onsite component of the investigation will continue for several days and an airspace restriction remains over the crash site.

“It is expected that an interim factual report will be released within 28 days,” Poponawa said in a statement.

He confirmed that Darren Moore, a flying operations inspector with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, was killed in the crash.

He expressed condolences to the family and friends of those killed.

Poponawa said Trans Air (PNG) had no connection to Transair (Australia).

“The links to the Transair (Australia) Lockhart river accident in 2005 and this accident cannot be ignored.

“The investigation and inquiries into the Lockhart river accident, including the Queensland coronial inquiry, did not hold Transair accountable.”

He said Trans Air (PNG) had an existing air operator certificate (AOC) since 1998, prior to the Lockhart river accident.

 

Farewell to a good mate

Darren Moore and Munchkin, his pet cuscus who lived with him  in Port Moresby

By MALUM NALU

On Monday this week, a day before he died in the plane crash on Misima, Darren Moore posted a message on my Facebook page regarding the summary execution of a teacher in Enga province in cold blood last Friday.

“It makes you want to carry a firearm to ensure your own safety,” he told me.

“Animals like this are really making a bad name for PNG in the world’s eyes.”

These were the last words Moore would ever share with me and words that I’ll always remember when I think about him.

The first time Moore came to PNG was to deliver an old C-172 for a bloke who gave him some bad information about weather and radio communications. Everyone saw the funny side of that - ultimately.

He then posted a message on his own page on Tuesday, saying: “Woohoo.

“Back driving the jet for a few hours today.

“Audit reports can get stuffed, I'm off flying.”

I read that message and presumed that Moore, a qualified pilot and flight operations inspector with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, was flying some jet.

I heard about the plane crash in Misima on Tuesday, however, had no idea that this good mate of mine was among those killed.

Villagers and curious onlookers, Australian air safety officials and CASA and Accident Investigation Commission investigators at the scene of the crash on Misima Island, Milne Bay, inspecting the remains of the Cessna  Citation on Wednesday.  – Picture by SINEWATA ISHMAEL

In fact, the first thing that came to mind was that Moore would be among those investigating the crash, and that he would be giving me some exclusive information about what really happened.

Just two weeks ago, I met Moore at the Holiday Inn, in which he told me about last month’s air crash in Kabwum, Morobe province, which he had just investigated and was now in the process of putting together his accident report.

Darren Moore in the cockpit of a plane

A couple of times, he had asked me, through my Facebook page, to go and have a “brew” with him at either the Aero Club or Airways Motel at which he would tell me some flying yarns.

I got the shock of my life when I read on the front page of yesterday’s The National that Moore, 44, from Leonora in Western Australia, was among those killed.

I kept on asking myself “why, why, why” when Moore was someone who could offer Papua New Guinea civil aviation so much.

And the saddest irony is that all of those air crashes Moore has been investigating will now not be completed, as he himself became a victim of an air crash.

Just two weeks ago, when we met at the Holiday Inn, Moore was telling me about the August 2008 Kokoda Trail Cessna 2006 crash that killed  pilot Christopher Kaines, the August 2009 Kokoda plane crash, last month’s Kabwum plane crash in which the young Australian pilot miraculously survived, and many others.

He was particularly concerned about the circumstances surrounding Kaines’ crash and wanted to see justice done for the dead pilot’s wives and children.

He was deeply concerned about the level of air safety investigations in the country, and freely admitted that the government must allocate more funding for this.

Moore also raised concerns about the level of air safety in the country, saying that we must never compromise our air safety by lowering standards, or allowing shady operators into the business.

He has been constantly calling me since by telephone and through Facebook about developments within PNG civil aviation.

Fellow aviation mates of Moore, known as Wiz, posted tributes on a popular pilot website to the "rough nut" who was working with PNG's CASA.

Moore has been described by a grieving mate as “a truly great bloke - consummate pilot, with lots of street smarts and common sense - also an extraordinary party animal”.

Moore’s Facebook page has been full of emotional comments since Wednesday when

friend Ryan Hooper confirmed: “Well I am sorry to say yes Darren was killed in the accident.

“He was a true mate and my heart is with you Sue.”

Dave Healey: “Fly high old mate, you've touched the lives of a great many people and will be sorely missed.

“Spread your wings wide and fly into the sun.”

Min Stokes: “This is so sad, condolences to Sue and the family.

“Daz you were one of a kind, true blue.

“Aviation won't be the same without you and your humour, we'll miss ya.”

Leon Garlett: “Thanks for the laughs in Leonora mate.

“You went where angels feared to go

“Condolences to Sue and family.”

Charl Du Plessis: “Hard to accept it.

“He was working on a great future for him and the family and I find it very sad that it had to end this way.”

Eric Galliers: “Darren, your last status says it all about your true passion mate.

“You will be missed by many and I still can’t get it into my mind that aviation took you.

“Very sad old buddy.”

Roz Roulston: “I was just thinking about you yesterday Darren.

“Was hoping you were safe in PNG and how many accidents happen over there.

“I had no idea it was you.

“All my love sympathy to your family.

“I can't believe it's you. R.I.P.”

Michael Anthony: “Darren, from one sky god to another... rest in peace mate.

“Watch over us and know we won't forget ya.”

Killed together with Moore were  were passenger Chris Hart, 61, from Sydney, and Trans Air charter co-owner and pilot Les Wright, 59, from Queensland.

The fourth victim, an employee of medivac company International SOS, was a New Zealander.

The survivor, another New Zealander who is a permanent resident of Australia, arrived in Port Moresby on Wednesday afternoon on a charter flight from Misima Island in PNG's Milne Bay province.

The unnamed 25-year-old co-pilot of the doomed Cessna Citation was immediately whisked on to another plane and flown out of PNG to an Australian hospital for medical treatment for "heavy bruising".

His amazing escape happened on Tuesday afternoon when the Trans Air plane overshot the Misima runway while landing in heavy rain and crashed into trees, bursting into flames.

Australian and New Zealand diplomatic staff flew to the island on Wednesday to supervise the retrieval of the bodies and to inspect the crash site.

They were joined by PNG air accident investigator Sid O'Toole and other officials

Civil aviation authorities in PNG said it was still too early to say what went wrong but guaranteed a full and complete investigation.

Trans Air, which runs a charter and medivac service in PNG, is linked to the now defunct Australian airline Transair, which went into liquidation after a 2005 crash at Lockhart River in north Queensland in which 15 people died.

Diversified managed fund for workers

By REG RENAGI

 

As apart from the traditional pension or superannuation funds in Papua New Guinea, , the government needs to make it a big part of its financial market reforms to also establish other diversified types of ‘managed funds’ with specific benefits products to cater for the overall needs of the majority of income-earners in the country. 

The public needs other alternative investment choices other than just putting their hard-earned savings in the banks and only getting a pittance for it.

While most super funds have grown over the years due to membership increases, fundamentally they have not changed much since being established.

 New managed funds are needed for future investments by the public and should be creatively designed so that the fund benefits also extend not only to members, but also to their spouses, children and immediate families.

The super funds in PNG so far are set up fundamentally for single purposes to generally provide for future needs.

 They are a single old savings scheme to give workers some security at retirement and in their old-age. 

Simply, they are life-long financial plans – an investment vehicle of member’s personal financial planning.

 All in all, they provide a great advantage to the average worker who might otherwise not have the means available for a planned retirement.

The government when designing future managed funds must be careful to ensure inbuilt hedging mechanisms are in place to safeguard against two factors: inflation and increasing life-expectancy. 

For the benefit of citizens, the government will need to introduce other suitable managed funds for all categories of workers and their families to enjoy new fund benefits as:

 

·        Home savings to buy a home;

 

·         Medical bills;

 

·         Children’s tertiary education;

 

·         Invest in shares; and

 

·         Premium for personal and home insurance.

 

The country’s new fund’s products must also cover a wide range of financial instruments from property, insurance to stocks (shares) and unit trusts. 

So upon retirement, workers have a sizeable ‘nest-egg’ to see them through in retirement years. 

What’s more, it must also be made a future government policy to encourage all citizens the importance of long-term financial planning.

 Hence, the future challenge now is for both the government and managed funds trustees to continue introducing innovative, yet conservative savings and investment strategies of allowing its national workforce in all categories to intelligently use their managed funds in meeting their future expectations.

You are always on our minds

Moasing Nalu with a baby whilst a nurse at Buangi hospital, Finschhafen

In loving memory of Mrs Moasing Nalu August 18, 1938 – September 2, 2009

In loving memory of Mrs Moasing Nalu, who passed away at Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae on Wednesday, September 2, 2009, at 10.15am.
Aged 72, she is survived by her children Alison, David, Malum, Lepung and Anna Nalu as well as 14 grand children.
My mum was a committed Christian until the day she died, and worked with my father, the late Mathias Nalu, all over the country in the colonial pre-independence days.

Papua New Guinea losing "millions" from Japanese tourism market

THE Tourism Promotion Authority says Papua New Guinea is currently losing millions in tourism dollars from the Japanese market and all relevant government agencies must quickly work together to address the problem.

PNG TPA chief executive officer Peter Vincent said major tour operators across the country were experiencing large booking cancellations by Japanese tourists following a Level 2 Travel Alert issued by the Japanese government for the interest and safety of its citizens.

The Level 2 Travel Alert prevents group travels by Japanese tourists to PNG however individuals can travel here but “at their own risk”.

Vincent said the Level 2 Travel Alert was issued in August following major security breaches at the Jacksons Airport including the killing of a local businessman and the exchange of gunfire between a disgruntled resource landowner and police.

He said while these incidents may be localised in nature, however, given the existing negative image perception of PNG abroad, that in the overall scheme of things, they caused more damage than good for PNG’s standing overseas.  

He said many PNG tourism operators have expressed their concern to the TPA that they were losing business in the millions because of booking cancellations by Japanese agents and tourists.

“This has now become a government-to-government matter which needs to be addressed immediately to safeguard our growing tourism industry and particularly our local tourism operators,” he added.

Vincent said the Japanese Government was adamant that it would not relax the travel alerts unless it was convinced that the safety of its citizens was guaranteed particularly at Jacksons Airport which is the gateway to PNG.

Vincent said while TPA was already working with police and other relevant government agencies including Civil Aviation and Air Niugini to address the issue, the national government needed to be more proactive in its approach as such incidents can also impact on Air Niugini’s second weekly flight to Tokyo and the billion kina LNG project.

He said as a nation, our people also seriously needed to do away with their attitude problems which gave rise to such issues and they must take responsibility and ownership in the progress and development of this country.