QLD: Families of missing Telstra workers gather in Cairns

AAP General News (Australia)
04-11-2001
QLD: Families of missing Telstra workers gather in Cairns

BRISBANE, April 11 AAP - The families of three Telstra workers aboard a plane missing
in far north Queensland have started to gather in Cairns.

A Telstra spokesman said the names of the three workers had not been released as the
search continued today for the chartered plane off the coast of Cape York.

He said counselling services had been set up for colleagues and family members of the
missing Townsville-based workers.

"It is a big company Telstra but obviously with things like this we are like a big
family," the spokesman said.

"Our thoughts are with them and the missing pilot but we're really guided by police
and search and rescuers."

The spokesman said they remained hopeful the plane would be found.

One of the workers was from Telstra while the other two worked for subsidiary company
NDC which laid telecommunications infrastructure.

He said NDC had chartered the twin-engine Aero Commander 500 from Cairns but air traffic
controllers lost contact with the aircraft 20 minutes after take off yesterday on the
two-hour flight to Hicks Island, 600km north-west of Cairns.

Australian Search and Rescue spokesman Ben Mitchell said the pilot had made radio contact
at 7.20am yesterday, but missed the next routine call.

Air patrols over the plane's flight path overnight failed to locate any flares.

Helicopters will sweep around Thornton Peak in the Cape Tribulation National Park today.

AAP ap/ch/ns/bwl

KEYWORD: PLANE FAMILIES

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