Needle-in-a-haystack hunt for missing mining tycoon who 'likes everybody to enjoy life'

Ken Talbot, Australia's sixth richest miner, flew into Yaounde, Cameroon, aboard his 19-seater luxury executive jet, champing at the bit to see for himself the massive Mbalam iron ore deposit 500 kilometres away in neighbouring Congo.

The Queensland tycoon and founder of Macarthur Coal has told any listener that he is tired of being a mining investor; he wants again to get his hands dirty as an operator, building a world-class mine from scratch.

There's plenty of room on his immaculately maintained jet for his fellow board members of Perth-based Sundance Resources to travel together to Yangadou. The problem is the destination cannot accommodate the jet's landing. So a CASA C-212 twin turboprop is hired by Cam Iron, Sundance's Cameroon subsidiary, from Aero-Service, a Congo-Brazzaville charter outfit in an environment of less than exacting flight and maintenance standards.

The Saturday morning flight routinely reported its progress until about mid-flight on Saturday morning. Nothing has been heard since from it or its 11 occupants six Australians; two French, including Brisbane-based Natasha Flason, of the Talbot Group; an American; and two Britons. The Australians are Brisbane-based Mr Talbot, 59, whose wealth was recently estimated by BRW magazine at nearly $1 billion, and five Perth-based officers of Sundance: chairman Geoff Wedlock, a former BHP Iron chief executive; chief executive Don Lewis; company secretary John Carr-Gregg; and directors Craig Oliver and John Jones.

If they are alive, but the plane's distress beacon failed and a crash-landing did not ignite a fire intense enough to catch searchers' attention, finding them amid some of west Africa's most rugged and remote jungle could prove a needle in a haystack task.

While Australia's mining community anxiously awaited news, maverick Liberal MP Wilson Tuckey managed yesterday to offend nearly everyone by suggesting the apparent tragedy was a consequence of the federal government's proposed resource tax pushing mining investors overseas in search of projects. He denied the inference but said the lost aircraft was "a tragic and stark example" of risks miners would take to avoid a punishing tax regime.

The Sundance board was in Africa for meetings with governments to advance the Mbalam project, not in search of new projects. Typical of West Australian mid-size miners, Sundance planned to get the project, which recently doubled in size to an impressive 35 million tonnes a year over 25 years, to development stage before selling equity to its customers.

Africa has the world's worst aviation history. The International Air Transport Association says many problems involve questionable safety certificates obtained without due diligence, fake insurance papers, forged flight crew licences and language difficulties.

Around the world last year, a million departures resulted in 0.71 crashes. In Africa, it's 9.94 for Western-built aircraft and 12.21 for Russian-built. Africa and the Middle East accounted for a third of aircraft accidents but only 8 per cent of world aviation traffic.

Barry Jackson, president of the Australian and International Pilots Association, said Africa's maintenance record was easily the worst. "The money is not there and nor is oversight from regulatory authorities." Mr Jackson said ground conditions were similar to the PNG Highlands, where he flew in the 1980s, and "if the plane has plunged through the canopy, you've got a real problem finding them."

Hope might be sustained, however, from the 1937 crash of a Stinson plane which disappeared between Brisbane and Sydney. After eight days, bushman Bernie O'Reilly searched the rugged McPherson Ranges on foot and found two survivors, albeit badly injured.

The Sundance travellers breached company protocol by flying together. Former chairman George Jones says this was probably due to an absence of choice. "There's a dirt strip there [at Yangadou] the company had prepared for the small charter craft, but Ken Talbot's plane couldn't land there."

Paladin Energy banned its directors flying in groups of more than two after it lost an executive in a Malawi crash three years ago.

Mr Talbot, due to face Brisbane charges of bribing former government minister Gordon Nuttall, was given to describing himself as "just a humble coalminer", said ormer Queensland treasurer Keith De Lacy, who chairs Macarthur Coal. Mr Talbot had "started with nothing" and "just liked to be liked, liked life and liked everybody to enjoy life". His four children were holidaying in Europe when the plane went down.

A Cameroon Hercules aircraft was due last night to be joined in the search by four helicopters and three fixed-wing aircraft.

GEOFF WEDLOCK NON-EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN More than 35 years experience in the mining sector Previously managing director of Grange Resources, managing director of Portman Limited and 32 years with BHP Billiton. Recently lobbied against the governments proposed resource super profits tax.

KEN TALBOT NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Listed as one of Australias richest men with a reported wealth of nearly $1 billion. His investment company, Talbot Group, is Sundances largest shareholder.

He founded the successful Macarthur Coal Ltd but sold it two years ago amid allegations he bribed former Queensland government minister Gordon Nuttall.

DON LEWIS MANAGING DIRECTOR/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER A civil engineer with more than 20 years experience in resource project development, construction and financing.

Previously managing director of Multiplex Engineering Pty and of Danae Resources NL and a former director of Greenwich Resources plc.

CRAIG OLIVER NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR More than 15 years experience in senior roles in mid-tier publicly listed mining companies and as a partner in a mid-tier chartered accounting firm.

Also a director of De Grey Mining Ltd and finance director and CFO of Western Areas NL. Helped organise Perth protest rally against the resource tax.

JOHN CARR-GREGG COMPANY SECRETARY A lawyer with more than 25 years corporate and commercial experience. Previously with Aristocrat Leisure Limited, Renison Goldfields Consolidated Limited, Straits Resources Limited, Hargraves Resources NL. His family says if theres any chance of him getting out of a wreck hell get out because hes a very tough guy.

JOHN JONES NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Previously general manager of HWE Mining, part of Leighton Contractors Resources Division. An engineer, Mr Jones has worked on iron ore mine developments, encompassing construction, operations and civil infrastructure