At the time, the peak and surrounding mountains were shrouded in heavy cloud. The three passengers are believed to have been employed by Telstra and a company it was subcontracting work to. They are believed to have been travelling to the island to repair faults at a telecommunications installation. Poor weather conditions, with low cloud and frequent rain squalls, hampered a search involving six aircraft yesterday. They failed to locate the plane.
Authorities hold little hope for the four missing men.
Their names have not been released. A bogus e-mail is believed to have been responsible for a Channel Nine television report last night that the plane wreckage had been found with no survivors. An Australian Search and Rescue spokesman, Ben Mitchell, said the search was expected to be expanded today with four helicopters joining it. It is a pretty desperate situation. The search was called off last night and will resume this morning at first light.