Indonesia rules out plane sabotage

The plane vanished in bad weather

Indonesian search and rescue authorities say there is no suggestion that sabotage was the cause of the disappearance of a military aircraft carrying top-ranking security personnel over the troubled Irian Jaya province.

The plane went missing on Monday over a mountainous jungle region while flying from the mining town of Timika, to the provincial capital Jayapura.

The 10 people on board include Irian Jaya's military commander and his police counterpart, the province's chief prosecutor and its house speaker.

The Governor of Irian Jaya, Jaap Salossa, should also have been among the passengers but he changed planes at the last moment.

The passengers had just attended the swearing-in of the members of the Enarotali district parliament.

The head of the Indonesian Search and Rescue Agency, Admiral Setio Rahardjo, told the BBC that a major operation was continuing to look for traces of the plane.

But he said there was no evidence to suggest the loss was connected to the conflict with Irian Jaya separatists, who have been active for many years.

Rescue officials said contact with the plane was lost about 12 minutes after it took off from Timika.

The route from Timika to Jayapura crosses some of Indonesia's most remote jungle and mountainous areas.

The navy has deployed two Nomad aircraft and two warships to help in the search, and a more intensive search is due to get under way on Tuesday with the addition of police and military rescue teams.

Independence struggle

Irian Jaya, Indonesia's most easterly province, forms the western half of New Guinea island and is rich in natural resources.

Jakarta has cracked down on separatists

The province has few roads, and air travel is considered to be the only reliable form of transport.

Separatists have been struggling for independence for Irian Jaya ever since Indonesia took control of the former Dutch colony in 1963.

Jakarta has ruled out granting the region independence, but has promised greater autonomy.

Troops and police in Irian Jaya have recently taken tough action against the independence movement - but there is no suggestion at the moment that the loss of the plane is connected with the separatist conflict.