Indonesian rescuers on Sunday recovered a body while searching for 11 people aboard a plane that crashed in a mountainous area on Sulawesi island.
Muhammad Arif Anwar, head of Makassar’s Search and Rescue Office, said the body of a man was found in a ravine about 200 meters (656 feet) deep on the slope of Mount Bulusaraung, near scattered debris from the aircraft. Rescue teams also discovered parts of the plane frame, passenger seats, and visually identified what is believed to be the turboprop ATR 42-500’s engine.
The aircraft, operated by Indonesia Air Transport, was en route from Yogyakarta on Java to Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi, when it disappeared from radar shortly after air traffic control instructed it to correct its approach. Onboard were eight crew members and three passengers from the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry on a maritime surveillance mission.
Search efforts have been hampered by strong winds, heavy fog, and steep terrain, with visibility near the summit reportedly around five meters, said Maj. Gen. Bangun Nawoko, South Sulawesi’s military commander. Brig. Gen. Andre Clift Rumbayan, leading specialized search units, said rescuers spotted additional bodies along a steep cliff but could not reach them.
Indonesian plane with 11 aboard goes missing; search underway
Operations were suspended Sunday night due to darkness and are set to resume Monday morning.
Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, relies heavily on air and ferry transport and has experienced numerous transportation accidents in recent years, including plane, bus, and ferry crashes.