Congo: Bodies recovered from plane crash

Authorities have recovered all 11 bodies from a jungle plane crash in west Africa, which killed six Australian mining executives.

The entire board of Perth-based mining company Sundance Resources were among the 11 people killed when their twin turboprop CASA C212 plane crashed during a flight from Cameroon's capital Yaounde to Yangadou in Congo a week ago.

Helicopters transported the bodies to Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo and the operation was completed by about 6.20am NZT on Saturday, Sundance Resources said.

The deceased were escorted by two Sundance employees.

The company said in a statement the Congolese Prime Minister, seven senior Congolese ministers, the Australian High Commissioner and company representatives were on hand to pay their respects when the bodies arrived in Brazzaville.

"The company is working in close cooperation with the Australian Federal Police, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Congolese authorities to ensure an appropriate and dignified process is followed to effect repatriation in a timely manner," the statement said.

After the completion of formal identification procedures in Brazzaville, a specialist repatriation team will make arrangements to bring the bodies home.

The plane wreckage was found about midnight (AEST) last Monday on the western ridge of the Avima Range in Congo, near the Gabonese border.

On board the ill-fated flight were Queensland mining magnate and Sundance non-executive director Ken Talbot, chairman Geoff Wedlock, chief executive Don Lewis, company secretary John Carr-Gregg and non-executive directors John Jones and Craig Oliver.

The other passengers were Natasha Flason, a Frenchwoman based in Brisbane who worked for Mr Talbot's private investment company the Talbot Group, American Jeff Duff who was working as a consultant to Sundance, a British citizen and the two pilots, one from France and the other from Britain.

Sundance says it continues to offer its full support to the families of the victims and is providing regular updates on the recovery and repatriation effort.

- AAP