Air Frontier plane crashes into sea off Northern Territory coast

A maritime search is underway for a pilot after an Air Frontier twin-engined Beechcraft Baron aircraft crashed into the sea off the coast of Australia's Northern Territory. The aircraft departed from Gove airport at Nhulunbuy on Tuesday morning and was scheduled to land at the remote Indigenous community of Numbulwar at 11:50 am, but it failed to arrive.

A witness on a vessel reported seeing the plane crash near Isle Woodah, prompting a search led by Northern Territory Police. As of Tuesday evening, authorities had not located any wreckage or the pilot. The search has involved an Australian Maritime Safety Authority search and rescue jet from Cairns and Careflight aircraft.

Air Frontier CEO Kylie Hunt confirmed the aircraft was on a repositioning flight with no passengers on board. As a precaution, the company has grounded its fleet of five Beechcraft Baron aircraft. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has been notified and has initiated an investigation into the cause of the accident.