Jakarta, A small Indonesian aircraft with 54 people onboard lost contact with air traffic control on Sunday in the remote Papua region in the country's east, the transport ministry said.

The contact was lost with the Trigana Air ATR 42 just after take off from Sentani airport in the Papua region's capital Jayapura, BBC reported. The plane was en route to the southern town of Oksibil.

The aircraft was carrying 44 adults, five children and five crew.

(IANS)