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A fisheries surveillance aircraft that vanished from radar in Indonesia has been found wrecked on a mountain in South Sulawesi, raising urgent questions about the fate of everyone on board.

The discovery has shifted the operation from a search for an aircraft to a race against time to locate survivors in difficult terrain and harsh weather conditions.

What happened to the fisheries surveillance aircraft?

Indonesian authorities said Sunday they had located the wreckage of a fisheries surveillance plane that went missing a day earlier in South Sulawesi province.

The aircraft, an ATR 42-500 turboprop, lost contact with air traffic control on Saturday at around 1:30 p.m. local time in the Maros region, officials said.

The plane was operated by aviation group Indonesia Air Transport and had been chartered by the country’s Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry for aerial monitoring of fisheries activity.

Who was on board the flight?

Officials said there were 11 people on the aircraft at the time it went missing.

That included eight crew members and three passengers, who were identified as staff from the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry.

The mission was described as fisheries surveillance, a task that plays a key role in monitoring activity across Indonesia’s vast maritime territory.

Wreckage located near Mount Bulusaraung

Search teams reported finding debris scattered in multiple locations around Mount Bulusaraung, a mountainous area in the Maros region.

Andi Sultan, an official with South Sulawesi’s rescue agency, told reporters that helicopter crews first spotted debris believed to be a plane window at 7:46 a.m. Sunday.

Just minutes later, around 7:49 a.m., rescuers saw larger aircraft sections suspected to be the fuselage, Sultan said. The aircraft tail was also reportedly visible at the bottom of a mountain slope.

Rescue teams face fog, wind, and steep terrain

Authorities said the search was being complicated by thick fog and rugged mountain conditions.

Video shared by the rescue agency showed aircraft debris lying on the mountain while strong winds and dense mist swept through the area, underscoring how dangerous and slow the recovery effort could be.

Despite the obstacles, rescuers were deployed to the locations where wreckage was identified, with the operation continuing as conditions allowed.

Large-scale search effort underway

Muhammad Arif Anwar, head of South Sulawesi’s rescue agency, said on local television that once the wreckage was confirmed, the mission focus became finding the missing crew and passengers.

He said authorities planned to deploy 1,200 personnel to support the search and rescue operation.

Arif stressed that the priority was locating the people on board and hoped that some could still be evacuated safely, according to local broadcasts.

Flight route: From Yogyakarta to Makassar

The aircraft had been traveling toward Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi, after departing from Yogyakarta province, officials said.

Communication was lost as the plane passed through the Maros region, an area known for steep landscapes and mountain weather that can shift rapidly.

South Sulawesi lies far from Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, with the mountain search zone described as roughly 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) northeast of the capital.

What kind of aircraft was it?

The missing plane was identified as an ATR 42-500, a regional turboprop built by Franco-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR.

The ATR 42 series is commonly used for short-haul routes and operational missions, and the ATR 42-500 model is typically capable of carrying 42 to 50 passengers.

In this case, the aircraft was operating a government-chartered surveillance flight rather than a commercial passenger service.

Tracking limitations raised questions early on

Flight tracking service Flightradar24 said on X that the aircraft was flying over the ocean at a low altitude, which limited tracking coverage.

The service said the last signal was received at 0420 GMT, about 20 kilometers northeast of Makassar airport, highlighting how quickly the aircraft disappeared from reliable tracking visibility.

This kind of limited tracking can complicate early response efforts, especially when an aircraft vanishes near remote or mountainous terrain.

Investigation to be led by Indonesia’s safety committee

Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee is expected to lead the investigation into the crash, officials said.

As of Sunday, the cause of the incident had not been confirmed. Authorities have not released findings about mechanical issues, weather triggers, or other contributing factors.

Aviation experts often note that aircraft accidents are frequently linked to a combination of elements rather than a single cause, though investigators typically wait for evidence before drawing conclusions.

Public attention and concern grows nationwide

The incident has drawn close public attention because the aircraft was carrying government personnel and was on an official mission.

In Indonesia, where aviation is essential for connecting islands and remote regions, aircraft emergencies often resonate deeply with the public, especially when search conditions are dangerous and visibility is poor.

Rescue updates are being closely followed as families and officials await word on the missing passengers and crew.

Why this crash matters for Indonesia’s surveillance missions

Beyond the immediate human toll, the incident highlights the risks involved in surveillance flights tied to fisheries monitoring.

Indonesia’s maritime enforcement relies heavily on coordination across air and sea, and aircraft are a key part of detecting illegal fishing and monitoring protected waters.

A disruption to these missions can have operational consequences, particularly in regions where aerial monitoring supports enforcement and resource protection.

What happens next

For now, the main focus remains on search and rescue operations around Mount Bulusaraung, with teams working through fog, wind, and steep terrain.

Investigators are expected to begin a formal crash assessment once conditions allow, including examining debris patterns and any available flight communications.

Authorities have not yet provided details on whether flight recorders have been located, or how long the search may continue.

Conclusion

The discovery of the wreckage marks a major development, but it also deepens the urgency of the mission, finding the 11 people who were on board.

With weather and terrain working against rescue teams, Indonesia’s response now depends on speed, coordination, and safe access to the crash area.

As the search continues, the country is watching closely for the outcome, and for answers about what caused the aircraft to go silent mid-flight.

 

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