A turboprop aircraft operated by Indonesia Air Transport is believed to have crashed in Indonesia on Saturday, killing all 11 people on board after losing contact with air traffic control shortly before landing.
The ATR 42-500 aircraft had taken off from Yogyakarta on a scheduled two-hour flight to Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi. According to aviation authorities, contact with the plane was lost when it was approximately 12 miles northeast of Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport, moments before it was due to land.
Officials confirmed that the aircraft was carrying three passengers and eight crew members at the time of the incident. Shortly after communication was lost, air traffic control declared an emergency phase and search and rescue operations were immediately activated.
Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, Basarnas, deployed multiple teams to the suspected crash site around the Leang-Leang area. Andi Sultan, head of the Makassar Basarnas Operations Section, said a total of 60 trained personnel had been mobilised for the operation.
“We have headed to the location of the coordinates based on information provided by Airnav,” Sultan said. “The search teams are being deployed in stages, starting with an initial assessment team, followed by additional personnel with specialised rescue expertise.”
Footage circulating locally showed aircraft debris scattered across a mountainous area, believed to be from the missing plane. Rescue teams are continuing ground and aerial searches, though officials have indicated that survival is unlikely.
The Director General of Air Transport, Lukman F Laisa, provided further details on the aircraft’s final moments. He said radar data showed the plane was not following the correct approach path during descent, prompting air traffic controllers to issue multiple instructions to redirect it.
“The aircraft was identified to be off its designated landing approach,” Laisa said. “Air traffic control issued corrective instructions to the crew, but communication was lost after the final transmission.”
Authorities noted that the aircraft was flying at a relatively low altitude over the ocean, which limited radar coverage. The last signal was recorded at 11:20 a.m. local time.
The aircraft, registered as PK-THT, belongs to Indonesia Air Transport, a charter airline that frequently operates flights for government agencies, as well as oil and gas companies. At the time of the incident, the plane was reportedly operating under a long-term contract for Indonesia’s Marine and Fisheries Resources Surveillance service.
Investigations into the cause of the crash are expected to begin once search teams fully secure the crash site and recover flight data. Aviation authorities have said further updates will be released as more information becomes available.
