"Today, the joint SAR team continued the search in areas where victims' belongings and aircraft debris were previously found. The search was carried out in accordance with the operational plan," the head of the Makassar Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), Muhammad Arif Anwar, said on Tuesday.
According to him, the nine SRU teams were focused on searching areas mapped based on the coordinates of victims' belongings and aircraft fuselage parts found after the crash on the local mountain.
In addition, the team also searched the area along the steep cliffs of Mount Bulusaraung, estimated to be hundreds of meters below the summit.
"SRU 1 to SRU 5 conducted searches at several locations that were the initial discovery points. They included the location of the first victim, aircraft debris and windows, the first engine, and the seat ladder," Anwar explained.
"They also searched the location of the second victim and personal belongings, as well as the wing and engine area of the second aircraft near the waterfall," he continued.
Meanwhile, SRU 6 conducted a further inspection of the tail of the aircraft, which was located at a depth of approximately 200 meters. For the evacuation process, SRU 7 moved the victims to the Kampung Baru rice fields, with SRU 8 securing the evacuation route.
For the air operation, SRU 9 conducted a search using helicopters from Hasanuddin Air Force Base to the Bulusaraung Mountains to cover all search areas and strengthen location mapping for the ground team.
"All SRUs are working based on coordinate data and findings in the field. Steep terrain and extreme weather remain challenges, but the operation resumes while prioritizing personnel safety," Anwar emphasized.
The SAR operation involved elements from Basarnas, the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI), the National Police, local governments, the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), and other SAR personnel.
Previously, an ATR 42-500 aircraft belonging to Indonesia Air Transport (IAT) was reported missing in the Bulusaraung mountains, South Sulawesi, while attempting to land at Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport on Saturday (January 17).
The aircraft was carrying 10 people, consisting of seven crew members and three Persons on Board (POB) passengers from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), Ferry Irawan, Deden Mulyana, and Yoga Naufal.
The seven-person crew comprises pilot Captain Andi Dahananto, co-pilot Muhammad Farhan Gunawan, and flight crew members Hariadi, Restu Adi, Dwi Murdiono, Florencia Lolita, and Esther Aprilita.
The team has found several pieces of plane debris and two bodies of victims, but their identities have not yet been disclosed.
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Translator: M Darwin Fatir, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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