ATR 42-500 Wreckage Found on Mount Bulusaraung as Indonesia Intensifies Rescue Effort

JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — An ATR 42-500 aircraft operated by Indonesia Air Transport was located on Sunday, Jan 18, 2026 on Mount Bulusaraung in South Sulawesi after losing contact a day earlier during a flight from Yogyakarta to Makassar, intensifying a complex search and rescue operation in rugged terrain.

The aircraft was carrying 11 people, including eight crew members and three passengers, when communication was lost on Saturday afternoon, prompting the National Search and Rescue Agency to deploy air and ground units across Maros and Pangkajene Kepulauan regencies.

Basarnas Deputy for Operations and Preparedness Edy Prakoso said the first visual clue emerged shortly after sunrise. “At around 07.17 WITA [GMT+8], an aerial patrol reported white-colored debris near the Bulusaraung area, which was later reconfirmed by a SAR helicopter,” he said in Jakarta.

Ground teams reached the site minutes later after navigating steep slopes and dense forest. “At 08.02 WITA, the land team found large pieces of debris on the northern side of the peak, and by 08.09 WITA the aircraft’s fuselage was located for further identification,” Edy said.

Search officials cautioned that evacuation efforts remained constrained by extreme weather and geography. “Wind conditions are strong and visibility is limited by thick fog, while helicopters are still seeking a safe point to deploy personnel near the wreckage,” Edy added.

The head of Basarnas Makassar, Muhammad Arif Anwar, described the findings as critical to narrowing the search zone. “The discovery of aircraft fragments is an important clue in focusing operations, while teams secure the site and adjust tactics to field conditions,” he said in Makassar.

Arif said additional fragments, including window sections and large fuselage components, were found between 07.46 and 07.49 WITA within the Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park area. “Some parts of the aircraft are open, and the tail section was located separately on the southern slope,” he said.

Authorities confirmed that evacuation would require mountaineering equipment due to the steep and unstable terrain. “Several points are located on sharp inclines and require climbing gear, with personnel safety remaining our top priority,” Arif said.

Police have prepared for victim identification as recovery operations progress. South Sulawesi Police Chief Djuhandhani Raharjo Puro said Disaster Victim Identification teams had been mobilized. “We have prepared DVI examinations and invited families for further checks,” he said, adding that examinations would be conducted at the Air Force hospital in Makassar.

The Indonesian Air Force has also deployed H225M Caracal helicopters and Korps Pasukan Gerak Cepat troops to support extraction efforts, while more than 400 personnel from Basarnas, the military, police, AirNav Indonesia, and local volunteers remain on standby.

The Ministry of Transportation said the aircraft, manufactured in 2000, lost contact after deviating from its designated approach path during landing procedures at Makassar’s Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport, with investigations continuing under the National Transportation Safety Committee.