A regional passenger aircraft carrying 11 people lost contact with ground control on Saturday while approaching a mountainous region between Indonesia’s main island of Java and Sulawesi, officials said. A search and rescue operation is ongoing.
The turboprop ATR 42-500, operated by Indonesia Air Transport, was en route from Yogyakarta to South Sulawesi’s capital when it vanished from radar, said Endah Purnama Sari, spokesperson for the Transportation Ministry. The plane was last tracked at 01:17 p.m. (05:17 GMT) over the Leang-Leang area of Maros, a mountainous district in South Sulawesi.
Multiple search teams, supported by air force helicopters, drones, and ground units, have been deployed. Hikers on Mount Bulusaraung reported spotting scattered debris, a logo consistent with Indonesia Air Transport markings, and small fires at the scene. “The sightings were reported to authorities and are being verified by rescue teams attempting to reach the area,” said Maj. Gen. Bangun Nawoko, Hasanuddin military commander in South Sulawesi.
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Sari said the aircraft disappeared shortly after air traffic control instructed a correction in its approach alignment. “After the last ATC instructions, radio contact was lost and controllers declared the emergency distress phase,” she added.
The aircraft carried eight crew members and three passengers from the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry. Rescue teams are concentrating on the steep terrain of Bulusaraung National Park, linking Maros and Pangkep districts, where clouds and limited visibility of around 8 kilometres have complicated operations.
Authorities continue to verify the reports and coordinate search efforts amid challenging mountainous terrain.
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