Indonesian rescuers find a body near wreckage of a plane that crashed with 11 aboard

Indonesian Rescue Teams Recover Body from Mountainous Plane Crash Site

Indonesian search and rescue teams have recovered one body in their ongoing efforts to locate the 11 people aboard a plane that crashed while approaching a mountainous region on Sulawesi island Saturday.

Rescuers retrieved the body of a man from a steep 200-meter (656-foot) ravine on the slopes of Mount Bulusaraung, according to Muhammad Arif Anwar, head of Makassar’s Search and Rescue Office. The recovery occurred amid scattered aircraft debris, including parts of the plane’s frame and passenger seats.

Search teams have also visually identified what appears to be the engine of the ATR 42-500 turboprop aircraft. The plane, operated by Indonesia Air Transport, disappeared from radar on Saturday afternoon shortly after air traffic controllers instructed the pilots to correct their approach alignment while en route from Yogyakarta on Java island to Makassar, the capital city of South Sulawesi province.

The aircraft was carrying eight crew members and three passengers from the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry who were conducting an airborne maritime surveillance mission when the incident occurred.

Rescue operations have been significantly hampered by challenging environmental conditions. Major General Bangun Nawoko, South Sulawesi’s military commander, reported that strong winds, heavy fog, and steep rugged terrain have slowed search efforts considerably. Visibility at the summit was reduced to approximately 5 meters (16 feet), creating hazardous conditions for rescue personnel.

Brigadier General Andre Clift Rumbayan, who leads the specialized search units, stated that rescuers have spotted additional bodies along a steep cliff but have not yet been able to reach them due to the treacherous terrain. As darkness fell Sunday evening, search operations were temporarily suspended and scheduled to resume Monday morning.

The crash adds to Indonesia’s troubling record of transportation accidents. As an archipelago nation comprising more than 17,000 islands, Indonesia relies heavily on air transport and ferries for connectivity. This geographical reality, combined with varying levels of infrastructure development, regulatory oversight, and weather challenges, has contributed to numerous transportation accidents in recent years.

Aviation safety in Indonesia has been a persistent concern. The country’s air safety record has improved in recent years following regulatory reforms and fleet modernization by major carriers, but incidents continue to occur, particularly involving smaller airlines and operations in remote regions with challenging topography.

The ATR 42-500 involved in this crash is a twin-engine turboprop regional aircraft manufactured by the French-Italian company ATR. This model is commonly used for short-haul regional flights and is designed to operate in challenging environments, including those with short runways or mountainous terrain.

Indonesia’s transportation ministry will likely conduct a thorough investigation into the causes of the crash, examining factors such as weather conditions, mechanical issues, and human factors. The country’s National Transportation Safety Committee typically leads such investigations.

The maritime surveillance mission being conducted by the passengers from the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry highlights Indonesia’s ongoing efforts to monitor its vast maritime territory, which is crucial for managing fisheries resources and addressing illegal fishing—a significant economic and security concern for the nation.

As recovery efforts continue, authorities face the difficult task of retrieving remains and investigating the crash site in challenging mountainous conditions that have already proven to be a significant obstacle to rescue operations.