Indonesian rescuers have recovered wreckage from a small plane believed to have crashed with 11 people on board while approaching the mountainous Mount Bulusaraung on Sulawesi island in cloudy conditions.
The ATR 42-500, operated by Indonesia Air Transport, disappeared from radar Saturday en route from Yogyakarta on Java to Makassar, South Sulawesi. It carried eight crew members and three passengers from the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry on a maritime surveillance mission.
On Sunday, a search team spotted part of the aircraft in the forested slopes, and ground teams retrieved larger debris, including the fuselage and tail. “The discovery of the main sections narrows the search zone and is crucial for finding victims, especially any who may still be alive,” said Muhammad Arif Anwar, head of Makassar’s search and rescue office.
Rescuers faced strong winds, heavy fog, and rugged terrain as they moved toward the site, Major-General Bangun Nawoko said. Photos and videos showed teams navigating narrow, foggy ridgelines to reach scattered wreckage.
Indonesia, an archipelago of over 17,000 islands, relies heavily on air and ferry transport and has seen numerous transport accidents in recent years. (NewsWire)