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The Royal Australian Air Force has completed a search and recovery mission in Indonesia for the remains of 10 Australian airmen aboard Catalina A24-50, over 75 years after the aircraft failed to return from a wartime mission.
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The aircraft was reported missing on 2 September 1943 while on a sea mining operation in Sorong in occupied Dutch New Guinea, with the wreckage of RAAF No. 11 Squadron Catalina A24-50 located near Fakfak in West Papua in April last year.
Minister for Veterans and Defence Personnel Darren Chester said the Air Force Unrecovered War Casualties team positively identified the missing aircraft during a reconnaissance mission to the crash site last year.
“We are committed to honouring the service and sacrifice of Australian military personnel from all theatres of war,” Minister Chester said.
“The RAAF team has concluded further search activities in the field and have reported finding a number of items of interest which require further testing in order to confirm the origin of each item.
“The only major recognisable pieces of wreckage were two sections of the wing, engines and propeller, and the empennage (rear part of fuselage) across the top of a ridge.
“We are very grateful for the support and assistance provided by the Indonesian Air Force throughout this process, without which this work could not take place.”
