Indonesia reaches crash site of missing plane carrying 11 people
Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, Basarnas, has located debris from the ATR 42-500 aircraft that went missing Saturday in South Sulawesi, Qazinform News Agency reports.
A one-kilometer search radius was set around the crash site.
According to the agency, aircraft fragments were discovered on Sunday morning near the summit of Mount Bulusaraung in Pangkep district. Given the challenging mountainous terrain, authorities decided to expand the scope of the search and rescue operation.
Basarnas Deputy for Operations and Preparedness Edy Prakoso said the area has been divided into four sectors. Ground-based search and rescue units have been deployed to each sector to speed up operations in hard-to-reach locations.
A total of 376 personnel are involved in the operation, including Basarnas staff, members of the Indonesian Armed Forces, TNI, representatives of the National Police, POLRI, as well as volunteers. Search efforts are being conducted at an altitude of about 1,200 meters above sea level amid rugged karst terrain and rapidly changing weather conditions.
The ATR 42-500 aircraft was located less than 24 hours after it lost contact. Initial signs of a possible crash site were spotted from the air at around 7:17 a.m local time, when a patrol aircraft observed light colored debris in the Mount Bulusaraung area. Ground teams later confirmed the presence of aircraft fragments on the northern slope, followed by the discovery of the main fuselage.
The aircraft was operating a flight from Yogyakarta to Makassar and disappeared from radar on Saturday afternoon. According to flight records, there were 11 people on board, including crew members.
Search and rescue operations are ongoing, with the main focus on locating all occupants and ensuring safety in the crash area.
Previously, in December 2025, at least 16 people were killed in a bus crash in Indonesia.
