Aircraft carrying executives from an Australian mining company missing in Cameroon

Aircraft carrying Australians missing in Cameroon

YAOUNDE, Cameroon — A Cameroon official of an Australian mining company says a plane carrying its chairman and eight board members is missing.

The aircraft, chartered by Australian company Sundance Resources Ltd., Saturday was carrying a total of 11 people to Mbalam, the firm’s mining site located in Cameroon’s eastern region, the official says.

The official spoke to The Associated Press Sunday on condition of anonymity because she is not authorized to speak to the press.

A statement released by the company said that families have been notified and a ground search will begin.

The Sundance executives had been in Cameroon in recent days to meet with officials about the company’s Mbalam project, which could earn the West African country billions of dollars over 25 years.