"We were trying to conduct an air evacuation, but it could not be done."Bogor (ANTARA News) - The extreme weather conditions in Mount Salak, Bogor, West Java, have hampered the evacuation of the victims of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 plane that crashed on Wednesday, May 9, 2012.
Thick haze shrouded the mountain at about 9 a.m. local time, whereas the atmosphere was clear two hours earlier, as reported from an ANTARA News journalist at an evacuation command post in a cattle-breeding ranch at Cipelang.
The weather condition around the crash site is changing continuously, but that has not stopped the joint evacuation team from inching closer to the crash site, which is on the edge of a cliff.
Helicopters are also seen circling above the mountain ridge to find possible ways to reach the location in light of the weather conditions.
According to a military commander in charge of the evacuation, Col. Inf AN Putranto, rappelling was not possible at 7 a.m. due to the weather conditions.
"We were trying to conduct an air evacuation, but it could not be done," he said.
The ground team has now been deployed to reach the crash site for evacuation.
The team had tried to reach the crash site on Thursday, May 10, but it stopped at night and continued the search at first light.
The joint search and rescue team had to spend the night by setting up bivouacs at an altitude of 2,066 metres above sea level.
The commander said the current evacuation team consisted of about 1,540 personnel and more residents were volunteering to assist in the evacuation process.
"But only selected civilians can join the evacuation team," he added.
(T.A050/INE/KR-BSR/O001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
