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The Papua New Guinea Government has granted a United States company permission to repatriate a World War II bomber wreck, affectionately known as Swamp Ghost, despite findings such a move is illegal.
In February, 1942, the B-17E Flying Fortress crash-landed in the Agaiembo swamp, in PNG's Oro Province, after being damaged by Zero fighters during a US bombing run over the Japanese stronghold of Rabaul.
The nine young crewmen all survived the landing and the war but after the US-Australian recovery team in May 2006 retrieved the plane, a bitter dogfight ensued.
Angry PNG politicians have protested against the bomber's move to the US as a "conspiracy" and "illegal" under PNG laws, as have previous committees, reports and legal advice.
But the PNG Government last week accepted the salvage company's 300,000 kina ($177,000) payment for the wreck with a promise to construct a display facility, recreation playground and barbecue area.
In a joint statement, Western Province Governor Bob Danaya and Eastern Highlands Province Governor Mal Kela Smith said only PNG's Governor-General can approve such sales.
"All citizens can now see that the Government is prepared to ignore the law, embrace and approve illegal transactions and acquisitions of State property by foreigners who themselves have no certification to work in PNG and who on-sell our heritage for profit," they said.
The salvage company spent close to A$500,000 ($614,000) rescuing the plane from its swampy grave and want to take it back to a yet unclear location.
"Their submission was intentionally misleading and deceitful as it again stated that the wreck was to go to the March Field Museum, California," the governors said.
"The museum again said there was no such arrangement and also had no knowledge of the Swamp Ghost or its exporters," they said.
The pair said the Government's decision to sell the wreck to an Aero Archaeology company ignored the 2006 Public Accounts Committee report, as well as legal advice from lawyers.
- AAP
