The number (of vessels) continues to increase, which means the agencies, ministries/institutions, and corporations, with the capacity and facilities, want to contribute (to the search operation)
Jakarta (ANTARA) - A joint search and rescue (SAR) team deployed 62 vessels to retrieve human remains, cockpit voice recorder (CVR), and debris of crashed Sriwijaya Air flight SJ 182, as search operations entered day eight on Saturday.

"The number (of vessels) continues to increase, which means the agencies, ministries/institutions, and corporations, with the capacity and facilities, want to contribute (to the search operation)," Operations Director of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Brig. Gen. Rasman stated at the Jakarta International Container Terminal’s (JICT's) pier 2 in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, on Saturday.

The deployed vessels comprise three from Basarnas, 18 from the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL), 14 from the National Police (Polri), one from the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, and five from the Transportation Ministry.

Three of the 62 vessels are from the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), one from the Customs Office, one from Antasena/Possi, five from the Indonesian Sea and Coast Guard (KPLP), four from the Jakarta administration, four from the Thousand Islands district administration, and two from shipping company Pelindo.

To detect objects beneath the sea, the joint SAR team has relied on three ships: KRI Rigel of TNI AL, Baruna Jaya IV of BPPT, and Ara of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment.

"The three ships will remain mobile to detect objects beneath the sea," he remarked.

In addition, the joint SAR team deployed 21 inflatable boats (Sea Rider) and jet ski from various agencies, in addition to 15 planes from Basarnas, TNI AL, Polri, and TNI AU (Indonesian Air Force), and 38 ambulances.

On the first day of search operation after being extended for another three days, the joint SAR team will focus on six zones, especially beneath the sea, he remarked.

In the six zones, the SAR team has mapped 10 points around the waters of Thousand Islands: the coastal areas of Laki Island, Lancang Island, and several islands.

The SAR team has also expanded the search zone around Laki Island and Pancang Island. The expanded search zone covers the islands of Bokor, Rambut, Untung Jawa, and Tanjung Kait and along the northern coast of Java Island.

By Friday, the joint SAR team has collected 272 bags of human parts, 45 bags of small debris, and 50 bags of large debris.

Sriwijaya Air flight SJ-182, bearing registration number PK-CLC, lost contact on January 9, 2020, at 2:40 p.m. Western Indonesia time (WIB) shortly after take-off and crashed between Lancang Island and Laki Island, Thousand Islands, DKI Jakarta. The plane that had departed from Jakarta was en route to Pontianak.

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Translator: Dewa Ketut S/Suharto
Editor: Sri Haryati
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