JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — On Sunday, Indonesian rescue teams recovered wreckage from a missing plane that is believed to have crashed the previous day with 11 people onboard. The aircraft, a turboprop ATR 42-500, was on its way from Yogyakarta on Java island to Makassar, the capital city of South Sulawesi province. It disappeared from radar shortly after being instructed by air traffic control to correct its flight path while approaching a mountainous region amidst cloudy weather.
The last radar contact with the plane occurred at 01:17 p.m. in the Leang-Leang area of Maros, which is a mountainous district in South Sulawesi. At the time, the aircraft was carrying eight crew members and three passengers from the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, who were on an airborne maritime surveillance mission.
A rescue team aboard an air force helicopter spotted what seemed to be a small aircraft window in a forested area on the slope of Mount Bulusaraung, as reported by Muhammad Arif Anwar, head of Makassar's Search and Rescue Office. Ground rescuers then retrieved larger pieces of debris consistent with the aircraft's main fuselage and tail, which were found scattered on a steep northern slope of the mountain.
Despite challenging conditions, including strong winds, heavy fog, and rugged terrain, ground and air rescue teams made their way toward the wreckage site on Sunday. Maj. Gen. Bangun Nawoko, commander of the Hasanuddin military in South Sulawesi, noted how the adverse weather conditions hampered the search. Photographs and videos released by the National Search and Rescue Agency depicted rescuers navigating a steep, narrow mountain ridgeline that was shrouded in thick fog to reach the scattered wreckage.
As an archipelagic nation with over 17,000 islands, Indonesia heavily relies on air transport and ferries for connectivity. However, the country has faced numerous transportation accidents in recent years, including plane crashes, bus incidents, and ferry sinkings. The ongoing search and rescue operation highlights the dangers associated with air travel in this region, especially in challenging weather conditions.
