An ATR 42-500 turboprop carrying 11 people lost contact with air-traffic control Saturday while approaching a mountainous region between Java and Sulawesi islands, Olivia M. Hartwell reported.
At a Glance
- The aircraft vanished from radar at 01:17 p.m. local time in the Leang-Leang area of Maros district.
- Eight crew members and three passengers from the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry were on board.
- Hikers on Mount Bulusaraung reported debris and small fires, prompting rescue teams to rush toward the steep terrain.
- Why it matters: The incident highlights Indonesia’s ongoing struggle with aviation safety across its vast archipelago.
The flight, operated by Indonesia Air Transport, had departed Yogyakarta and was bound for Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in South Sulawesi when controllers instructed the crew to correct its approach alignment, according to Transportation Ministry spokesperson Endah Purnama Sari. Radio contact ceased immediately after the instruction, prompting officials to declare an emergency distress phase.
Search-and-rescue assets scrambled within minutes. Air force helicopters, drones, and ground units converged on the Leang-Leang sector, but the rugged landscape of Bulusaraung National Park-straddling Maros and Pangkep districts-slowed progress. Clouds and 8-kilometer visibility prevailed at the time, Sari noted.
Hope spiked when hikers phoned authorities to report scattered debris, a logo matching Indonesia Air Transport markings, and flames still flickering on the forested slopes of Mount Bulusaraung. “The sightings were reported to authorities and are being verified by rescue teams attempting to reach the area,” said Maj. Gen. Bangun Nawoko, South Sulawesi’s Hasanuddin military commander.
The aircraft’s manifest showed eight crew and three passengers, all employees of the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry. Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono confirmed late Saturday that the trio was traveling on an airborne maritime surveillance mission tied to Indonesia’s fisheries management operations.
Rescue teams battle steep terrain
Ground units began cutting narrow footpaths through dense vegetation shortly after dawn Sunday, while helicopters hovered above, scanning for clearings large enough to lower winch crews. Drones transmitted real-time infrared imagery, yet the thick forest canopy masked heat signatures. By nightfall, responders had established two forward operating bases on adjacent ridges, but the wreckage site remained a four-hour hike from the nearest trailhead.
Nawoko emphasized that slopes exceed 45 degrees in places, complicating the use of all-terrain vehicles. “We are deploying rope teams and portable pulleys,” he told News Of Los Angeles. “Every additional meter costs time because the soil is loose volcanic ash.”
Weather forecasts predict more clouds and intermittent rain through Monday, raising fears of landslides. Rescue leaders have set a 72-hour target to reach the main debris field before monsoon moisture saturates the ground.
Aviation safety under scrutiny again
Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, depends on turboprops and ferries to move people and cargo across vast distances. The country has suffered a string of air, sea, and land accidents that regulators attribute to aging infrastructure, inconsistent oversight, and rapid traffic growth.
Saturday’s disappearance is the second involving an ATR 42 in Indonesian airspace within five years. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Committee have been placed on standby, but they cannot reach the site until rescue teams secure safe access.
Transportation Ministry officials said the aircraft’s maintenance records were up to date and the crew had accumulated more than 7,000 combined flight hours. Preliminary air-traffic transcripts reveal routine communication until the final course-correction request, after which no mayday call was received.
Key takeaways
- The ATR 42-500 vanished moments after air-traffic control issued approach corrections.
- Eleven people-eight crew and three government officials-remain unaccounted for.
- Hiker-reported debris and fires have narrowed the search to Mount Bulusaraung’s cloud-shrouded slopes.
- Steep, unstable terrain is hampering round-the-clock rescue efforts.
- Indonesia’s safety record faces renewed scrutiny as investigators await access to the suspected crash site.
