Two porters were killed and a group of Western tourists attacked while trekking through a remote jungle trail in Papua New Guinea Tuesday. The group, thought to include eight Australians and a New Zealander, was robbed and attacked by six bandits wielding machetes, knives, and spears,
The gang of six attackers disappeared back into the jungle after the attack, having killed two porters and wounding the others. The tourists suffered relatively minor injuries, including cuts and minor head wounds, though one of the Australians was speared in the leg. The trek leader and only woman among the group led the tourists to find assistance.
Authorities are unsure whether the bandits intended only to rob the tourists or to forcefully object to porters from another district bringing visitors into their area and benefiting from tourist fees.
The trek generally takes three days and covers leech- and mosquito-infesting territory. The track was cut in the 1920s by prospectors looking for gold.