Charter plane crashes in Papua New Guinea; 4 dead (8:36 a.m.)

SYDNEY — A chartered plane skidded off a wet runway in Papua New Guinea and burst into flames Tuesday afternoon, killing four people on board, officials said. One person survived.

The crash occurred on remote and mountainous Misima Island in the country's southeast Milne Bay province, Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said in a statement. Three Australians and a New Zealander were killed.

Post your reaction to the Manila hostage crisis

The survivor, also a New Zealander, was heavily bruised but was conscious and talking, Smith said.

Witnesses said the Trans Air plane skidded off the runway in wet and windy weather and crashed into trees before bursting into flames, Milne Bay governor's spokesman Robin Wayuba said.

One of the victims was marine pilot Chris Hart, 61, of Sydney, who was a passenger, Brisbane-based Australian Reef Pilots confirmed. He was on his way to guide a ship from Misima Island through Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Craig Southerwood, managing director of the reef pilots group, said several staff members were at the airport waiting to meet Hart and witnessed the accident. It was raining heavily at the time of the crash, he said.

"We are all shattered by this tragedy," he said in a statement.

Officials from Australia and New Zealand were heading to the crash site Wednesday.

Last year, all 13 people aboard a chartered flight heading to a tourist region of Papua New Guinea were killed when the plane crashed while approaching the rugged terrain during bad weather. Nine Australians were among the dead. (AP)