Indonesia police says aircraft debris spotted in Papua

People walk into the entrance of Trigana Air's office in Jakarta, Indonesia August 16, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

JAKARTA - A search and rescue plane seeking a crashed aircraft with 54 people on board in Indonesia's Papua province spotted debris believed to be from the missing flight on Monday, the local police chief said.

Bintang Mountains Regency Police Chief Yunus Wally told Indonesia's official Antara newsagency that the search and rescue aircraft reported sighting debris thought to be from the Trigana aircraft in the Bintang Mountains regency.

"It's true, an AMA (Associated Mission Aviation) aircraft reported sighting aircraft debris around Oksop waterfall," Wally told Antara, adding that the team were making preparations to approach the area.

The Trigana Air Service ATR 42-300 plane crashed on Sunday, the latest in a string of aviation disasters in Southeast Asia.