Plane carrying 5 Germans goes missing off Costa Rica

SAN JOSE, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- A small plane with five German nationals on board went missing near the Caribbean coast off Costa Rica on Friday afternoon, Public Security Minister Jorge Torres confirmed Friday night.

The minister said the plane was heading for the airport in Costa Rica's eastern province of Limon when it disappeared from the radar.

"Around 6:00 in the afternoon we received an alert about a private flight from Mexico to the Limon airport, this aircraft was traveling with five passengers of German nationality," Torres said in a video announcement.

The plane lost communication with the control tower near the Barra de Parismina area in the northeastern part of the country, a region that is difficult to access due to its natural channels and mangroves, the minister said.

Emergency protocol with the Coast Guard and Air Surveillance Service was activated after the incident, said the official, adding that searching operation had to be suspended due to late hours and bad weather and would be resumed at 5:00 a.m. Saturday morning.

So far the official has not disclosed identities of the pilot and passengers of the plane.