Australia has vowed to leave "no stone unturned" in the search for a plane carrying one of the country's richest men that vanished over dense jungle in west Africa.
Ken Talbot is among the missing. Photo: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian
Millionaire Ken Talbot and the entire board of directors of iron ore mining firm Sundance Resources have been missing since the airliner lost contact with ground control shortly after taking off from Cameroon on Saturday.
Six Australians, two Britons, two people from France, an American, and two crew were on board the flight to a mine in the Congo, according to local authorities.
Dense jungle and bad weather conditions with thick fog have been hampering search and rescue efforts.
Residents from southern Cameroon saw explosions in the air that could have been a result of the plane crashing, officials said.
Cameroonian military made air searches where the plane might have come down 124 miles south of Cameroon's capital Yaounde, where it took off.
A Cameroon official said: "Information from Cameroon military searchers say that the plane might have crashed around the town of Djoum.
"Residents in Djoum said they saw explosions in the air on Saturday."
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd promised full diplomatic and consular assistance.
He said: "This is deeply concerning to all of us.
"All of our diplomatic and consular resources are being dedicated to this.
"We will leave literally no stone unturned in our efforts to try and help what is a concerning set of developments for these families."
Mr Talbot is a non-executive director of Sundance Resources and has an estimated wealth of £566m, according to BRW business magazine's latest rich list.
Ken Talbot is among the missing. Photo: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian
Millionaire Ken Talbot and the entire board of directors of iron ore mining firm Sundance Resources have been missing since the airliner lost contact with ground control shortly after taking off from Cameroon on Saturday.
Six Australians, two Britons, two people from France, an American, and two crew were on board the flight to a mine in the Congo, according to local authorities.
Dense jungle and bad weather conditions with thick fog have been hampering search and rescue efforts.
Residents from southern Cameroon saw explosions in the air that could have been a result of the plane crashing, officials said.
Cameroonian military made air searches where the plane might have come down 124 miles south of Cameroon's capital Yaounde, where it took off.
A Cameroon official said: "Information from Cameroon military searchers say that the plane might have crashed around the town of Djoum.
"Residents in Djoum said they saw explosions in the air on Saturday."
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd promised full diplomatic and consular assistance.
He said: "This is deeply concerning to all of us.
"All of our diplomatic and consular resources are being dedicated to this.
"We will leave literally no stone unturned in our efforts to try and help what is a concerning set of developments for these families."
Mr Talbot is a non-executive director of Sundance Resources and has an estimated wealth of £566m, according to BRW business magazine's latest rich list.
