Plane Crashes In Remote Mining Region

Authorities believe all 19 people onboard a Russian-made Antonov An-28 turboprop were lost Thursday, when their twin-engine plane crashed in a remote gold mining region in southern Surinam.

Surinam aviation chief John Veira told Reuters 17 passengers and two crewmembers were onboard the aircraft, which was believed to be ferrying mine workers from from Paramaribo to the Benzdorp region of the small South American country.

"There is nothing to rescue, everything has gone up in flames," one miner in the area told local radio station Radio Apintie.

Little is known at this time of the circumstances surrounding the crash, including what the reported weather conditions were at the time of the accident.

According to media reports, the plane was operated by Blue Wing Airlines, a six-year-old charter carrier. At one time, concerns about Blue Wings' safety standards prompted neighboring French Guiana to ban flights into that country, although those restrictions were lifted in 2007.

Blue Wing operates a 10-plane fleet, comprised of An-28s and Cessna 207s.

FMI: www.bluewingairlines.com