The pilot along with two passengers namely Iyan Timisela and Adrianus Amba Sangka were dead with their bodies found among the debris of the ill-fated plane in Mile 73, Tembagapura, Mimika, Papua province on Sunday.
PT Freeport Indonesia spokesman Ramdani Sirait said when contacted by ANTARA seeking confirmation about it on Sunday that the victims were now being evacuated to the hospital in Tembagapura for an identification process.
A number of relatives of the victims had come to the hangar of the Airfast helicopter at Mozes Kilangin airstrip in Timika to get information about their family members.
Yapi Timisela, the brother of Iyan Timisela, an employee of PT Pangansari Utama said the family had hoped he would be found alive.
"We were all hoping nothing would happen on him and he would return home safely," Yapi said.
He said Iyan Timisela hailing from Hulaliu in Ambon had worked at PT Pangansari Utama for three years. The 31 years old man was still single and lived in Lorong Griya 9 on Jalan Budi Utomo, Timika.
PT Pangansari Utama provides catering service for PT Freeport Indonesia and a number of other companies including Nusa Jaya Exploration company in Wanagon, Tembagapura.
Yapi said Iyan had been assigned for two months in Wanagon and on Saturday morning with his fellow employee Adrianus Amba Sangka went to Tembagapura aboard the Airfast PK-ODA helicopter with Shri Krishnan, a New Zealand citizen, as the pilot.
"Yesterday morning before boarding the helicopter he called home to speak with his mother who was ill. My younger brother received his call but he did not hear his voice clearly as signals were bad," Yapi said.
At around 11am on Saturday his family tried to contact Iyan through his cellphone but he did not reply although the line was connected.
The family kept contacting him until 9pm. "Until last night we still tried to contact him but he did not take the phone," he said.
The helicopter was operated by Nusa Jaya Exploration company. On Sunday morning the Airfast deployed three helicopters to search its missing helicopter.
(T.E015/H-YH/B003)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
