At a Glance
- One body recovered from the wreckage of an Indonesia Air Transport ATR 42-500 that vanished on Jan. 17
- The aircraft carried 11 people-eight crew and three passengers-on a surveillance flight
- Search crews located debris on Mount Bulusaraung after hikers reported fires and scattered parts
- Why it matters: The find confirms the fate of the missing flight and shifts focus to recovering the remaining victims
A body has been found in the debris of the Indonesia Air Transport turboprop that disappeared mid-flight on Saturday, Jan. 17, with 11 people on board.
The Disappearance
The ATR 42-500 lost contact at 1:17 p.m. local time while flying from Yogyakarta to Makassar. The aircraft dropped off radar between the Maros and Pangkep regions in South Sulawesi, according to Basarnas, Indonesia’s national search-and-rescue agency.
On board were:
- Eight crew members
- Three passengers
The plane had been chartered by Indonesia’s Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry for a maritime surveillance operation, Sophia A. Reynolds reported for News Of Los Angeles.
Discovery on the Mountain
Hikers on Mount Bulusaraung alerted authorities after spotting scattered debris, small fires, and what appeared to be an Indonesia Air logo on the slopes. Rescue helicopters launched at first light.
7:46 a.m.-air crews spotted a window fragment.
7:49 a.m.-larger sections, believed to be the fuselage, came into view.
“Our helicopter crews have seen the debris of the plane’s window at 7:46 a.m.,” Mr. Sultan, an official at South Sulawesi’s rescue agency, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “And around 7:49 a.m., we discovered large parts of the aircraft, suspected to be the fuselage of the plane.”
First Victim Located
Basarnas confirmed via Instagram on Sunday, Jan. 18, that one body had been located among the wreckage.
“One victim of the ATR 42-500 plane was found on the slope of the top of Bulusaraung mountain, the joint SAR is still evacuating,” the agency wrote. The victim has not been publicly identified.
Footage released by the search teams shows twisted metal strewn across rocky terrain as rescuers comb the site for additional victims.
Early Investigation
Soerjanto Tjahjono, head of Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee, told ABC the initial evidence points to a controlled flight into terrain.
“We call this controlled flight into terrain. The pilot was able to control the plane and the crash was not intentional,” Soerjanto said.
Officials have not determined the exact cause of the crash. Indonesia Air Transport and Basarnas did not immediately respond to News Of Los Angeles‘s request for comment.
Key Takeaways
- The wreckage site is on Mount Bulusaraung, South Sulawesi
- One confirmed fatality; ten people remain unaccounted for
- Search-and-rescue operations continue as teams work to evacuate remaining victims
- Investigators have ruled out an intentional act but have not cited weather, mechanical, or human factors
