Two bodies have been discovered in the wreckage of a light plane that crashed in Arnhem Land on Christmas Eve.
Authorities made the grim discovery in the afternoon on Christmas Day about 250km northeast of Katherine.
When they searched the wreckage, they discovered the bodies of the 22-year-old male pilot and a 43-year-old female passenger.
The single engine aircraft, which was carrying one passenger and the pilot, departed Gove at about 8.30am on Saturday.
It was due to land in Katherine at about 10.30am the same day, but did not arrive.
Northern Territory Police said the aircraft was found in dense bushland near Bulman.
“Due to the remote location of the single-engine plane, and the investigation by Northern Territory Police being in its infancy, no further information will be available today,” they wrote on Facebook.
Northern Territory police worked together with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) Response Centre to search for the missing aircraft, but said it had “not been contactable” since its departure.
The AMSA Response Centre was alerted on Saturday afternoon, and an air search for the plane commenced.
The search continued throughout Christmas Day before the plane was located northeast of Katherine.
Anyone with information, or who may have seen the plane between Gove and Katherine, is urged to contact them on 131 444 and quote reference number 10212740.