TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - An ATR 42-500 aircraft belonging to Indonesia Air Transport reportedly lost contact en route from Yogyakarta to Makassar on Saturday, January 17, 2026. A total of 10 people were on board the ATR aircraft, consisting of seven crew members and three passengers.
A joint search and rescue (SAR) team conducted a search and rescue (SAR) operation, suspecting a plane crash. On Sunday morning, January 18, 2026, the aircraft wreckage was found by the SAR team on the slopes of Bulusaraung Peak, South Sulawesi. The location of the crash was on the southern slope of the peak, with the fuselage positioned north of Mount Bulusaraung Peak.
The cause of the crash is still unknown. The SAR team is currently recovering the wreckage and victims.
The following are the facts about the ATR 42-500 aircraft that lost contact:
The ATR 42-500 Aircraft Carried 10 People
PT Indonesia Air Transport President Director Tri Adi Wibowo stated that there were seven crew members on board the ATR 42-500 aircraft. There were a total of 10 people on board the aircraft. The seven crew members were Captain Andy Dahananto, Farhan Gunawan, Restu Adi, Hariadi, Dwi Murdiono, Florencia Lolita, and Esther Aprilita. The three passengers were Ferry Irawan, Deden Mulyana, and Yoga Noval.
The ATR 42-500 Aircraft Was a Patrol Aircraft
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries confirmed that the ATR 42-500 aircraft belonging to Indonesia Air Transport (IAT) that lost contact in Maros Regency, South Sulawesi, was a Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries patrol aircraft.
"Yes, it's a patrol aircraft," said the Director General of Marine Resources and Fisheries Supervision (PSDKP) at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Pung Nugroho Saksono (Ipunk), in Jakarta on Saturday, January 17, 2026.
ATR 42-500 Aircraft Wreckage Found on Bulusaraung Peak
A joint search and rescue (SAR) team found the fuselage and tail of an ATR 42-500 aircraft belonging to Indonesia Air Transport (IAT) on the slopes of Mount Bulusaraung, South Sulawesi, on Sunday, January 18, 2026. The aircraft lost contact during its landing approach at Sultan Hasanuddin Airport, Makassar, on Saturday, January 17, 2026.
Andi Sultan, Head of Operations and Alertness for the Makassar National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), stated that the large aircraft debris was reported by the crews of SAR helicopters AI-7301 and H-2213. "It's visible, the fuselage and tail are visible," he said in an official video statement received by Tempo on Sunday, January 18, 2026.
Departure Claimed to Have Followed Procedures
Adisutjipto Airport management confirmed that the departure of the ATR 42-500 aircraft belonging to Indonesia Air Transport from Yogyakarta followed procedures. "We followed the procedures at the airport. Then, in the waiting room, after that, boarding for Makassar," said Adisutjipto Airport General Manager Wibowo Cahyono Soekadi in Yogyakarta, as quoted by Antara.
Wibowo explained that the aircraft, with registration number PK-THT, took off from Adisutjipto Airport in Yogyakarta at 8:08 a.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB), bound for Makassar.
According to him, all stages of departure, from security screening at the Security Check Point (SCP) to boarding, were carried out in accordance with applicable airport regulations. "We have carried out all procedures from departure to the X-ray screening at the Security Check Point (SCP)," he said.
ATR Aircraft Manufacturer Issues Explanation
The ATR aircraft manufacturer in Toulouse, France, has spoken out about the incident involving an ATR 42-500 aircraft belonging to Indonesia Air Transport. In a press statement published on its official website, ATR expressed its deep concern to all affected parties. "ATR has received information that an accident has occurred in Indonesia involving an ATR 42-500 aircraft," ATR wrote, as quoted on Sunday, January 18, 2026.
ATR also stated its readiness to cooperate with Indonesian authorities to determine the cause of the accident. "ATR specialists are fully engaged in supporting the investigation led by the Indonesian authorities and the operator," they said.
SAR Team Finds One Victim
The Search and Rescue (SAR) teams found one victim of the ATR aircraft crash near the aircraft debris. Muhammad Arif Anwar, Head of the Makassar Class A Search and Rescue Office and SAR Mission Coordinator (SMC), stated that the victim was found in a ravine approximately 200 meters deep. "At 2:20 PM WITA, a male victim was found at coordinates 04°54'44'' South Latitude and 119°44'48'' East Longitude, near the plane debris," Arif said in an official statement on Sunday.
According to Arif, the SAR team carried out the victim's evacuation process via the climbing route. The extreme terrain and bad weather were the main challenges in the rescue operation. Since morning, heavy rain and thick fog had enveloped the summit area, with visibility limited to around five meters.
Dani Aswara and Antara contributed for this article.
Read: SAR Team Finds One Victim Near ATR Wreckage on Mount Bulusaraung
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