Indonesian rescuers on Sunday recovered the body of a man in their ongoing search for 11 people aboard an ATR 42-500 turboprop that crashed Saturday while approaching the mountainous region of Mt. Bulusaraung on Sulawesi island. Muhammad Arif Anwar, head of the Makassar Search and Rescue Office, confirmed the body was found in a ravine approximately 650 feet deep, alongside scattered debris from the aircraft, including parts of the frame and passenger seats. Teams also visually identified what is believed to be the plane’s engine, signaling progress in a difficult search operation.
The plane, operated by Indonesia Air Transport, had departed from Yogyakarta on Java island and was headed to Makassar when it disappeared from radar shortly after air traffic control instructed the crew to correct their approach alignment. On board were eight crew members and three passengers from the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry conducting an airborne maritime surveillance mission. Strong winds, heavy fog, and the steep, rugged terrain of the mountain have hampered rescue efforts, according to Maj. Gen. Bangun Nawoko, South Sulawesi’s military commander, who noted visibility at the summit was roughly 16 miles.
Rescuers also reported spotting additional bodies along a steep cliff, though reaching them remains impossible at the moment, Brig. Gen. Andre Clift Rumbayan, leader of the specialized search units, said. The search was suspended as darkness fell Sunday and is scheduled to resume Monday morning. Indonesia, a nation reliant on air and ferry transport to connect its 17,000-plus islands, has experienced a series of transportation accidents in recent years, including plane crashes, bus accidents, and ferry sinkings, underscoring the challenges of operating in its archipelagic terrain.