Papua New Guinea declares emergency after armed mobs torch plane and governor’s house
Police said crowds were angered by a court decision to dismiss a petition against a provincial governor’s 2017 election, amid concerns of corruption
Papua New Guinea has declared a state of emergency in its rugged Southern Highlands after an armed mob went on the rampage, torching a passenger plane and the local governor’s house.
Police said crowds were angered by a court decision to dismiss a petition against provincial governor William Powi’s 2017 election, amid concerns of corruption.
They burned down Powi’s home and the local courthouse in the town of Mendi late last week and destroyed an aircraft belonging to the national carrier at the airport.
No one was hurt, and Air Niugini said the crew of the Dash 8 airliner were safe and had returned to the capital Port Moresby.
The airline said it was conducting “a full review of what occurred, and a risk assessment in accordance with PNG Civil Aviation Safety Authority requirements”, with services to the area suspended.