"We have prepared the DVI team and we have also invited the family for further examination," the Chief of South Sulawesi Regional Police, Inspector General Djuhandhani Raharjo Puro, said in Makassar on Sunday.
The DVI team will be stationed at the Dodi Sarjito Air Force Hospital in Makassar to conduct antemortem and postmortem examinations.
In addition, a DVI team from the National Police Headquarters has been deployed to assist with the identification.
"We are currently in constant communication (on the progress of the SAR operation)," Puro added.
Based on the latest developments, a joint SAR team has found debris from an ATR 42-500 training aircraft belonging to Indonesia Air Transport (IAT) near the slopes of Mount Bulusarung. The aircraft was carrying 11 people.
Chronology of the plane crash
The ATR aircraft was reported missing while en route from Yogyakarta to Makassar City, South Sulawesi, on Saturday (January 17), at around 1:17 p.m.
The aircraft originally departed Yogyakarta at 9:08 a.m. with an estimated arrival time of 12:22 p.m. at Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar.
However, at 12:23 p.m., Makassar Radar Air Traffic Control (ATC) instructed the PK-THT aircraft to intercept runway 21 at an altitude of 5,300 feet. However, the aircraft overshot the designated point.
The aircraft was then reported lost contact at the estimated coordinates 04°57'08" south latitude and 119°42'54" east longitude over the airspace bordering Maros and Pangkep Districts, South Sulawesi.
On the second day of SAR operations, the Joint SAR Team found debris from the ATR 42-500 aircraft.
"The discovery of this debris became an important clue in narrowing the search area. The Joint SAR Team is currently focusing on securing the location, recording findings, and adjusting operational tactics according to terrain conditions," the head of the Makassar Basarnas (Search and Rescue Agency) Office, Arif Anwar, remarked.
According to reports, a large fuselage section was found, where the apex of the aircraft had been exposed, and the tail section was found on the southern slope below the incident site. The debris was recovered by air and ground teams.
"Several points are located on the slopes and require mountaineering equipment. Personnel safety remains our top priority in this operation," Anwar emphasized.
The aircraft was carrying 11 people, consisting of eight crew members and three passengers. They were Captain Andy Dahananto, Yudha Mahardika, Captain Sukardi, Hariadi, Franky D Tanamal, Junaidi, Florencia Lolita, and Esther Aprilita. The passengers were Deden, Ferry, and Yoga.
The SAR operation involved elements from Basarnas Makassar, the Indonesian military, the National Police, AirNav, Paskhas (Special Forces), the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), and support from the local community. The SAR operation is ongoing, and further developments will be officially announced based on results from the field.
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Translator: M Darwin Fatir, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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