In a significant development following a tragic aviation incident, all victims from the missing Indonesian plane that crashed in the Mount Bulusaraung area of South Sulawesi province have been located and recovered. The comprehensive search operation, which spanned seven days, successfully concluded with the retrieval of the final body on Friday morning.
Search and Rescue Efforts Conclude
Andi Sultan, an official at the National Search and Rescue Agency’s Makassar office, confirmed the completion of the recovery mission. According to reports from Detik News, Sultan detailed that eight of the deceased were recovered earlier this week by rescue forces who meticulously combed the challenging slopes of Mount Bulusarong on Sulawesi island. The remaining two victims were found earlier this morning, bringing the total count to ten individuals.
Details of the Fatal Flight
The aircraft involved was an ATR 42-500, operated by Indonesia Air Transport. It lost contact on Saturday while en route from Yogyakarta to Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi, specifically in the Maros district. Debris from the plane was discovered on Sunday, marking the beginning of the intensive search efforts.
Onboard the flight were ten people, comprising seven crew members and three passengers. The passengers included officials from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, who were engaged in an aerial surveillance mission to monitor the region's resources. So far, only two of the victims have been officially identified: cabin crew member Florencia Lolita and Deden Maulana.
Recovery of Critical Evidence
In addition to the recovery of the victims, the joint search and rescue team successfully retrieved the plane’s black box from the crash site. This crucial piece of equipment is expected to provide valuable insights into the circumstances leading up to the crash, aiding in the ongoing investigation.
The incident has drawn attention to the risks associated with aerial surveillance missions in remote and mountainous regions. The swift response and dedication of the rescue teams have been commendable, as they worked tirelessly over the past week to locate all individuals involved in this unfortunate event.
