A PLANE has lost contact with air traffic control after locals heard a loud explosion.

The aircraft mysteriously vanished in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, as it was flying to Makassar.

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The ATR 42-500 mysteriously lost contact with air traffic control around 12 miles into its flightCredit: Indonesia Air Transport
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Flight data shows where contact was lost with the plane
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Andi Sultan, Head of the Makassar Basarnas Operations Section, said a huge search operation has been launchedCredit: ViralPress
The ATR 42-500 had left Yogyakarta and was on its way to Makassar today, but contact was mysteriously lost with aircraft around 12 miles into its flight.

Flight data shows the moment the plane seemed to vanish into thin air.

And locals reported hearing a noise that “sounded like burning material” before a loud explosion.

A huge search effort has begun to find the missing aircraft, after a plane crash last year killed four in the country’s Central Papua province.

The missing plane was reported to be carrying three passengers and eight crew members when it lost contact with air traffic control, vanishing from radar systems.

Rescue teams have been sent to the site where the plane is thought to have crashed to look for survivors.

Footage posted on social media seems to show fiery debris on a mountain near the last confirmed location of the plane.

Officials said three teams and a total of 60 people are scouring the area.

Horror plane crash ‘kills 11 onboard’ as rescue teams search through wreckage

Director General of Air Transport, Lukman Laisa, said controllers lost contact with the captain as they attempted to bring the plane back on course.

The official said: “The aircraft was identified not to be on the approach path it should have been, so the air traffic control gave a redirection to the crew to correct the position.

“Air traffic control then conveyed several further instructions. The instructions aimed to bring the plane back to the landing.

“After the submission of the last instructions, communication with the plane was lost.

“Following up on this condition, air traffic control declared an emergency phase in accordance with the applicable provisions and procedures.”

Officials said the aircraft was flying low over the ocean, which limited contact with the ATR 42-500.

The last signal from the missing plane was received at 11:20am local time, about 12 miles northeast of Yogyakarta airport.

The plane never arrived at its planned destination of Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport, leaving families of those onboard searching for answers.

The missing aircraft was owned by Indonesia Air Transport, which specialises in charter flights for oil and gas businesses.

The plane was on a long-term contract for the government’s Marine and Fisheries Resources Surveillance service before it vanished.

It comes after a Russian military plane crumbled mid-air last month, before crashing into a reservoir.

The mysterious crash killed all seven on board after the tail section of the aircraft suddenly detached while the plane was in the air.

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Indonesian authorities scramble to search for survivors after the suspected plane crashCredit: ViralPress
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A huge search and rescue mission has been launched the find the missing planeCredit: ViralPress
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Three teams, totalling 60 people have been sent out to search for survivorsCredit: ViralPress