Rescuers have found the wreckage of an Indonesia Air Transport ATR 42-500 on Mount Bulusaraung and recovered one body among the debris. The plane, carrying eight crew and three passengers, vanished from radar around 1:17 p.m. local time on Jan. 17 between Maros and Pangkep in South Sulawesi. Early indications point to a controlled flight into terrain, but investigators say the cause remains under review. Search-and-rescue teams continue to search the steep terrain for 10 missing people.
Wreckage of Indonesia Air Transport ATR 42-500 Found on Mount Bulusaraung — One Confirmed Dead, 10 Missing
BASARNAS via APDebris of an ATR 42-500 turboprop airplane at Mount Bulusaraung in South Sulawesi, Indonesia
Rescue teams have located the wreckage of an Indonesia Air Transport ATR 42-500 on the steep slope of Mount Bulusaraung and recovered the body of one person, officials said, while searches continue for 10 others who were aboard.
What Happened
The turboprop was flying from Yogyakarta to Makassar on Saturday, Jan. 17, when it disappeared from radar at about 1:17 p.m. local time between the Maros and Pangkep regions in South Sulawesi, Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) reported. There were 11 people on board: eight crew members and three passengers.
Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS)/InstagramDebris found after plane carrying 11 people goes missing in Indonesia
Discovery And Recovery
BASARNAS confirmed in an Instagram post on Jan. 18 that rescuers located aircraft debris on the slope of Bulusaraung mountain and recovered one body from the wreckage. Joint search-and-rescue teams were in the process of evacuating the victim; authorities have not yet released the person’s identity.
Video and photos from the site show scattered aircraft fragments across steep terrain. Hikers in the area reported seeing pieces of wreckage — including what appeared to be an Indonesia Air logo — and small fires, which prompted search teams to investigate, the Associated Press reported.
Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS)/InstagramRescue team members search for victims following the Indonesia Air plane crash
Aerial Observations And Site Conditions
Officials said helicopter crews observing the area spotted smaller debris at 7:46 a.m., and then larger sections of the aircraft, likely parts of the fuselage, at 7:49 a.m. Rescue personnel continue to comb difficult, steep terrain to locate any remaining victims and additional wreckage.
Preliminary Assessment
“We call this controlled flight into terrain. The pilot was able to control the plane and the crash was not intentional,”
Soerjanto Tjahjono, head of Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee, said early indications suggest the aircraft struck the mountain slope while under control. Officials cautioned that the exact cause of the accident remains under investigation.
Additional Details
Local media and authorities reported the plane had been chartered by Indonesia’s Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry for a maritime surveillance mission. Indonesian authorities, including BASARNAS and Indonesia Air Transport, have not released further details about the identities of those on board or the final determination of the cause.
Next Steps
Search-and-rescue teams will continue recovery efforts on Mount Bulusaraung. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Committee and other agencies will examine the wreckage and flight data as they work to determine what led to the accident.
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