Hunt for missing Indonesian Army helicopter launched

Indonesian Army helicopter was reported missing on Friday.

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAYAPURA -- The Jayapura Search and Rescue office will send personnel to Oksibil, the capital of Pegunungan Bintang District, on Saturday, to look for the Indonesian Army''s MI 17 helicopter that was reported missing, Friday. Ten personnel would leave by helicopter and a Cessna CN 295 of the Indonesian Air Force (TNU AU), to find the missing helicopter, Chief of the Jayapura SAR Putu Arga said here Friday evening.

The search and rescue operations will involve every existing component, he said.

Earlier, the pilot navigating the helicopter with 12 people aboard said "thank you" at 11:49 a.m. local time, before the airport lost contact with him, Oksibil Airport Chief Frits Ayomi said.

The helicopter took off from Oksibil Airport at 11:44 a.m. local time, and at 11:48 a.m. contacted the air traffic control (ATC) to report that it would ascend to 7,800 feet, 6 nautical miles toward the north. The pilot then said "thank you" at 11:49 a.m., and since then there has been no contact between him and ATC, Ayomi told Antara, Friday evening.

The weather around Oksibil at that time was fine, but a little bit foggy. The MI 17 helicopter with registration number HA-5138 carried 12 people. They had earlier flown to Okbibab to dispatch logistics to military officers there.

The crew members are captain Aris (pilot), First Lt Bambang (pilot), First Lt Ahwar (co-pilot), Chief Sergeant Suriyatna, Second Sergeant Dita, Private Dwi Purnomo and Private Aharul.

The passengers are soldiers of Infantry Battallion 725/WRG, namely Ikrar Setya Nainggolan, Yanuarius Loe, Risno, Sujono Kaimuddin, and Tegar Hadi Sentana.

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