Helicopter with eight loses contact over Indonesia's Borneo island
Airbus BK117 D-3 dropped off radar eight minutes after takeoff; search teams sent to Mantewe forest in South Kalimantan
JAKARTA, Indonesia — A helicopter carrying eight people lost contact in a forest on Indonesia’s Borneo island eight minutes after takeoff on Monday, authorities said.
The Airbus BK117 D-3, owned by Eastindo Air, departed Kotabaru airport in South Kalimantan province at 8:46 a.m. local time en route to Palangkaraya in Central Kalimantan. Its last radio contact with air traffic control was at 8:54 a.m., and it was scheduled to arrive in Palangkaraya at 10:15 a.m., officials said.
Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Agency received a report about the missing aircraft at 12:02 p.m., I Putu Sudayana, head of the agency, said. The helicopter was carrying one pilot, one engineer and six passengers, and is believed to have lost contact in the Mantewe forest area of Tanahbumbu district, he said.
Search-and-rescue teams were deployed by land and air, including a helicopter normally used for fighting fires, Sudayana said. Authorities said crews were working to locate the aircraft and its occupants and that operations would continue through Monday.
"Hopefully today we can find the location and we hope to find them safe and sound," Sudayana said.
The Indonesian portion of Borneo, known as Kalimantan, is covered in dense tropical forest and rugged terrain, which can complicate search operations and communications. Officials did not immediately provide further details about weather conditions at the time of the disappearance or any distress signals.
Eastindo Air and aviation authorities in Indonesia were contacted for comment. Investigators are expected to examine the helicopter's maintenance records, flight plan and communications as part of the inquiry into the incident.
Local authorities coordinated with national rescue teams as the search continued. No further information on the condition of the occupants was available Monday evening.