Authorities are currently searching an ATR 42-500 aircraft, registration PK-THT, that has lost contact in Indonesia’s South Sulawesi. The aircraft, belonging to the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, was flying from and lost contact around 20km from Makassar Airport.
Aircraft took off from Yogyakarta
The plane operated by the Indonesia Air Transport for marine patrols took off from Yogyakarta for Makassar around 8:08 am local time on Saturday.
The aircraft was carrying around ten people on board. It was headed to Makassar’s Sultan Hasanuddin Airport when it lost contact around 1:17 p.m. local time while flying over the Maros Regency, as per media reports. According to AirNav, the aircraft was last seen near Bawean, Indonesia.
Search Underway
A joint search operation for the lost aircraft, with a team of 25 personnel, is underway. Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) in Makassar stated that it had immediately dispatched a search team to the location, based on coordinates provided by AirNav. Search operations are underway around the Leang-Leang area of Maros Regency.
The Basarnas Rescue Coordination Centre and the Maros Police coordinated with AirNav Indonesia’s MATSC branch. Makassar’s Sultan Hasanuddin Airport in Makassar has also established a Crisis Centre at the departure terminal to help out with search and rescue operations.
Lukman F. Laisa, a transport ministry official, further said that a National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) post had been established near the location where the aircraft went missing.
Andi Sultan, head of operations at the Basarnas Makassar office, further confirmed that his team had received information about the aircraft, which had lost contact after departing from the Yogyakarta airport.
Maros Police Chief Douglas Mahendrajaya, as quoted by media reports, has said that authorities were in the process of verifying the details.
This is a developing story. For updates, follow Travel Radar
