Indonesia’s Aviastar airline said on Friday contact had been lost with a Twin Otter small passenger aircraft travelling between Masamba and Makassar on the island of Sulawesi.

Ten people were on board the aircraft, Wisnu Darjono, an official at Indonesia’s flight safety agency told Reuters. He confirmed authorities had lost contact with the aircraft.

Indonesian authorities have launched a search for the plane.

The Transportation Ministry said a search has begun for the aircraft that lost contact on a flight from the town of Masamba, about 30 minutes before its was scheduled to land in Makassar city.

“It was around 60 nautical miles from Makassar,” ministry spokesman J.R. Barata told MetroTV. “We have now started a search.”

“Most importantly, we will work out its position first,” Barata said adding that 10 people – seven passengers and three crew – were on board.

Aviastar, which flies domestic routes, said it had lost contact with the aircraft in the mid-afternoon and it had then contacted search authorities.