Thekabarnews.com—A helicopter carrying eight people lost contact shortly after taking off in West Kalimantan on Thursday morning, April 16. The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) led a massive search and rescue operation in response.
“The plane took off from a plantation area in the Melawi regency and was heading to the Kubu Raya regency,” said Basarnas deputy for operations and preparedness, Edy Prakoso.
The helicopter took off from a plantation area in Menukung District, Melawi, at 08.34 a.m. WIB for Kubu Raya, Edy said in an official statement.
The helicopter lost contact at 08:39 WIB, five minutes after take-off, data from AirNav Indonesia showed. Radar has not detected the plane since then, and it has not responded to normal radio contact.
Authorities received an emergency signal about 36 minutes after losing contact. The Basarnas Command Center detected the signal at 09.15 WIB through the LEOSAR satellite system in the COSPAS-SARSAT network. This network received transmissions from the aircraft’s Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT).
The aircraft involved in the incident was an Airbus H130, registration number PK-CFX, carrying two crew and six passengers.
Following the alert, Basarnas immediately deployed a joint rescue team to search for the plane. A search team from the Sintang SAR post on the ground departed at 11:00 WIB. The team had to cross difficult terrain to reach the suspected crash location.
At 13:10 WIB, to assist the operation, the Indonesian Air Force deployed a Super Puma helicopter from Supadio Air Base. The aircraft carried 10 personnel, including flight crew, Kopasgat members, and Basarnas rescuers.
The air mission focused on scanning areas believed to be the possible crash site. After an exhaustive search, the Super Puma helicopter returned to base at 15.25 WIB.
Preliminary aerial reports indicated a possible crash site. In response, the search teams said they found debris believed to be part of the helicopter’s tail section. This debris was found about three kilometers west of the last known point of contact.
Authorities are still investigating the incident. Meanwhile, they are stepping up search efforts to find survivors and confirm the full extent of the crash.
“The rescue operation is still in progress. The coordination between ground and air teams is crucial to navigate the difficult terrain and ensure a quick response,” said Basarnas officials.
The incident highlights the challenges of aviation operations in remote locations and the need for rapid emergency response systems to minimize risks and save lives. Additionally, it is particularly important to ensure that resources are effectively deployed and communication is maintained between teams during critical situations.
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