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Machete via Shutterstock

Trekkers attacked with machetes and spears in Papua New Guinea

Two guides were hacked to death during the shocking incident.

A GROUP OF Australian and New Zealand trekkers have been savagely attacked and injured in Papua New Guinea with two of their guides hacked to death.

The deadly incident happened at dusk yesterday along the popular Black Cat Track in the lawless Pacific nation’s northern Morobe province.

“The attack resulted in the deaths of two PNG nationals who were porters for the group,” Australia’s department of foreign affairs (DFAT) said.

Other members of the group, including eight Australians, one New Zealander and a number of PNG nationals, sustained injuries during the attack, however none of the injuries are life-threatening.

PNG police spokesman Dominic Kakas told AFP the porters were hacked to death with machetes and four of the trekkers were badly assaulted, including one who was speared.

He said:

One of the expatriates was speared through the left leg, one was slashed on the arm, another suffered severe lacerations to the head and another also had severe cuts. Some of the other porters were more seriously injured.

“There were six in the mob that attacked them,” he added, with all escaping. “One had a rifle, another a home-made gun, as well as bush knives and spears.”

Injured and traumatised

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation said workers at a local mining company helped the injured and traumatised trekkers walk to a medical clinic at their nearby camp. Kakas said they were then taken to a hospital in Lae.

Mark Hitchcock, a spokesman for tour operator PNG Trekking Adventures said the injured Australians were now comfortable and resting.

“This is an isolated area, an isolated incident that shocked us all. Totally out of character for the track,” he told ABC.

“This is the first ever trouble that we’ve had on any track in Papua New Guinea. It’s a difficult track, the Black Cat Track, and there have been some issues with other companies a long time ago, but of recent time there’s been a lot of development gone into the track since 2005.”

The motive for the attack was not clear, although some reports suggested it could be related to a disagreement between porters from PNG’s lowlands and locals living in the highlands.

The Black Cat Track runs between Wau and Salamaua in northern PNG. DFAT said it was recommending that trekkers avoid the Black Cat Track until local police have investigated the incident.

- © AFP, 2013

Read: Papua New Guinea alleged cannibals charged>

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    Mute margaret
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    Sep 11th 2013, 8:53 AM

    They burn “witches’alive there. They have the highest percentage of rapists, headhunting and cannibalism are barely gone….if gone and machete murders. The advice is should be loud and clear. Do Not Go There!

    85
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    Mute margaret
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    Sep 11th 2013, 10:35 AM

    Actually a celebrity, big brother. Survivor show set in the papua new guinea jungle would be fun. Can you imagine the whinging, moaning and real life cries of “seriously, get me out of here!!”

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    Mute Garry Coll
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    Sep 11th 2013, 8:12 AM

    At first glance I thought this story was about Trekkies at a Star Trek convention.
    I guess not.

    54
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    Mute Ailís McKernan
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    Sep 11th 2013, 8:21 AM

    Oh god, me too, I thought, no way, at some convention???! Then I read it properly.

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    Mute James
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    Sep 11th 2013, 8:38 AM

    You don’t mess with the Klingons

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    Mute Adrian Doherty
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    Sep 11th 2013, 10:44 AM

    The beam me up button was faulty that day

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    Mute Fiona Ryan
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    Sep 11th 2013, 11:02 AM

    Yep, made the same mistake too….. Popular culture gone MAD I tell you haha

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    Mute gumbridge
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    Sep 11th 2013, 8:18 AM

    Cannibalism is still practised in places out there. Those who survived should count themselves lucky that they didn’t wind up as Sunday dinner.

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    Mute Pat Casey
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    Sep 11th 2013, 8:43 AM

    “The deadly incident happened at dusk yesterday along the popular Black Cat Track in the lawless Pacific nation’s northern Morobe province.”
    I think the last few words in that sentence should be a clue as to why this happened, if you are going to walk in very dangerous places then anything can happen.

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    Mute Jimmy
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    Sep 11th 2013, 8:30 AM

    …I thought this type of thing only happens outside the Central Bank…

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    Mute Silent Majority
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    Sep 11th 2013, 10:35 AM

    Tesco PNG have been embroiled in controversy lately on the tiny Pacific island, with traces of horse meat detected in what had been labelled genuine human flesh.

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    Mute Anthony Quinn
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    Sep 11th 2013, 10:17 AM

    Lets pay a lot of money to
    Go to a place where there is no
    Law or anything and most of
    The heads there are trying to
    Get out of the kip..that sounds
    Like a great holiday…

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    Mute Liam O' Leary
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    Sep 11th 2013, 10:41 AM

    Sounds like a holiday to rural Ireland

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    Mute Piotrek Król
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    Sep 11th 2013, 9:56 AM

    Death by mau mau.

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    Mute Anita Ruttle
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    Sep 11th 2013, 9:25 AM

    And! The Aussies are sending the boat people there

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    Mute dearg doom
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    Sep 11th 2013, 10:41 AM

    Tactful use of stock image.

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    Mute jake mansfield
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    Sep 11th 2013, 10:32 AM

    Why don’t they use it for “I’m a celebrity, get me out of here” idea place for Kerry Katona.

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    Mute Sexy Taoiseach
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    Sep 11th 2013, 8:04 AM

    Something for the pub.

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    Mute John O'Neill
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    Sep 11th 2013, 3:05 PM

    Obviously not all black cats crossing your track bring good luck…

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    Mute seamus mcdermott
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    Sep 11th 2013, 8:37 AM

    Better run through the jungle….

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