Seven victim packages evacuated from ATR crash site: Basarnas

hartono · Jan 23, 2026

Basarnas Chief Mohammad Syafii answers reporters’ questions during a press conference on the handling of victims from the ATR 42-500 PK-THT plane crash in the Bulusaraung mountains at the South Sulawesi police DVI post in Makassar, Friday (Jan. 23, 2025). /ANTARA/Darwin Fatir.

Makassar, S Sulawesi (ANTARA) - Joint Indonesian search and rescue teams evacuated seven recovery packages from the crash site of an ATR 42-500 aircraft in the Bulusaraung mountains of South Sulawesi, according to the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).

Favourable weather allowed air evacuations to proceed safely, supported by aircraft capability and the professionalism of flight crews involved in the operation, Basarnas Chief Mohammad Syafii said in Makassar on Friday.

The seven packages were flown to Hasanuddin Air Force Base and then transported by seven ambulances to the South Sulawesi police disaster victim identification (DVI) post in Makassar for forensic examination, he said.

Six packages contained bodies, while one contained body parts. Identification is being conducted by a joint DVI team in accordance with established forensic procedures, Syafii added.

Syafii said the aerial search and rescue unit successfully evacuated the seven packages following tight coordination among agencies and direct supervision by senior commanders to ensure safety and control.

During the air operation, the Air Force’s regional operations commander and the Basarnas chief were aboard a TNI AU Caracal helicopter to monitor the evacuation process directly.

South Sulawesi police chief also flew aboard a Bell 429 helicopter for aerial monitoring, while additional support was provided by a Basarnas Dauphin HR 3601 helicopter.

Syafii said the Caracal helicopter conducted three sorties, evacuating two packages on the first flight, two on the second, and one on the third sortie from the mountainous site.

The Basarnas Dauphin helicopter flew two sorties, evacuating one package on each flight, bringing the total number of packages evacuated by air on Friday to seven.

With the addition of the seven packages to four recovered earlier, authorities have now received 11 packages, comprising 10 body bags and one containing body parts. Three victims have been identified, while seven remain unidentified.

The ATR 42-500 aircraft, operated by Indonesia Air Transport, was carrying 10 people - seven crew members and three passengers - when it crashed in the Bulusaraung mountains on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026.