A body has been discovered during the search for 11 individuals on board a plane that went missing and is suspected to have crashed, with fragments of wreckage also being found. The aircraft vanished while approaching a mountainous area on Sulawesi island, Indonesia, in cloudy weather conditions. The search and rescue team recovered the body of a man in a deep ravine on the slope of Mount Bulusaraung, near scattered aircraft debris.
The retrieval of the body is currently in progress, as stated by Muhammad Arif Anwar, the head of Makassar’s Search and Rescue Office and mission coordinator. In addition to the body, teams located more wreckage, including parts of the aircraft frame, passenger seats, and what is believed to be the engine.
Although the body has not been identified yet, it is presumed to be from the turboprop ATR 42-500 aircraft that was en route from Yogyakarta to Makassar when it disappeared from radar. The plane, operated by Indonesia Air Transport, was last seen in the Leang-Leang area of Maros in South Sulawesi province. It was carrying eight crew members and three passengers from the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry on a maritime surveillance mission.
Rescuers spotted what appeared to be a small aircraft window in a forested area on the mountain slope and later recovered larger debris resembling the main fuselage and tail. The discovery of these sections has helped narrow down the search area, aiding in the search for potential survivors.
Despite challenging weather conditions, search and rescue teams are continuing their efforts to reach the wreckage site. Over 100 personnel, including elite army forces, have been deployed across various sectors. The search operation has been hampered by heavy rain, fog, and limited visibility, but the teams remain committed to locating any potential survivors.
Indonesia heavily relies on air and ferry transport due to its numerous islands. The country has experienced several transportation accidents in recent years, ranging from plane crashes to ferry disasters.