In a heart-wrenching development, Indonesian rescue officials have confirmed the recovery of all ten individuals on board a chartered plane that tragically crashed into Mount Bulusaraung in South Sulawesi. The ATR 42-500 turboprop aircraft, which had lost contact with air traffic control, was carrying seven crew members and three civil servants from Indonesia’s Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry.
Details of the Crash
The chartered flight, tasked with fisheries surveillance, went missing on 17 January 2024. Local authorities announced the recovery of the last two bodies on 23 January, marking a solemn end to rescue efforts that had been hindered by difficult weather and rugged terrain.
- Date of incident: 17 January 2024
- Location: Mount Bulusaraung, South Sulawesi
- Aircraft type: ATR 42-500
- Flight purpose: Fisheries surveillance
- Total casualties: 10 (7 crew and 3 Ministry staff)
Flight Investigation Underway
The black box of the aircraft was retrieved earlier this week and is being examined by Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) to help ascertain the cause of the crash. This unfortunate incident marks the first deadly accident involving the ATR 42 model in over a decade, following a tragic 2015 crash in Papua that claimed 54 lives.
Aviation Safety Concerns
Indonesia’s aviation safety record has come under scrutiny several times, with multiple fatal accidents in recent years underscoring the need for stringent safety measures. The latest tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the dangers facing air travel in the expansive archipelago, where connectivity between thousands of islands often relies heavily on air transport.
As officials continue their investigations, families of the victims are left to mourn in the wake of this disaster. The plane’s wreckage was discovered scattered across the mountain’s steep slopes — a stark reminder of the challenges rescuers faced during recovery efforts, akin to seeking a needle in a haystack buried in the jungle.