The crash site of the Indonesia Air Transport (IAT) passenger plane has been identified on Mount Bulusaraung, near the city of Makassar, approximately 1,500km north of Jakarta. One body of the 11 on board was found on Sunday, January 18, among aircraft debris. A search is currently underway for the 10 remaining passengers and crew.
The flight, enroute from Yogyakarta, Java, to Makassar, Sulawesi, lost contact with air traffic control on Saturday in the South Sulawesi province. According to local media, the search and rescue team has involved upwards of 1,000 personnel, including members of the air force, police force, and volunteers.
On Sunday, workers sighted additional bodies along a steep cliff, but due to poor weather conditions and harsh terrain, the recovery effort was delayed until Monday. Authorities have begun DNA sample collection from the passengers’ families to assist in the identification process.
The team also located wreckage believed to be the plane’s engine, passenger seats, fuselage, tail, and windows. In a press release, IAT stated that the aircraft had previously had minor technical problems, but was declared safe before its flight to Makassar. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.