Papua, Indonesia – A Trigana Air flight carrying 48 people skidded off the runway while attempting to take off in the remote Yapen Islands of Indonesia’s eastern region of Papua on Monday, leaving several passengers injured, police said.

The ATR-42 aircraft was en route to the provincial capital of Jayapura when it veered off the runway during takeoff. Onboard were 42 passengers, including a baby, along with six crew members.

“Praise God, everybody survived and has been taken to a hospital for a health checkup,” said local police chief Ardyan Ukie Hercahyo in a statement. He added that authorities have launched an investigation into the incident to prevent future occurrences.

The local search and rescue agency confirmed that while most passengers escaped unharmed, some were injured and left traumatised by the accident.

Indonesia, an archipelago of over 17,000 islands, relies heavily on air transport to connect its regions, especially in remote areas like Papua, which is known for its challenging mountainous terrain and unpredictable weather. Despite its importance, the country has a troubling aviation safety record, particularly in Papua.

Trigana Air, the airline involved in Monday’s incident, has had safety issues in the past. In 2015, one of its flights tragically crashed in Papua, killing all 54 people on board.

Authorities have vowed to investigate the cause of this latest incident, ensuring tighter safety measures in an area that heavily depends on air transport.