Daftarsbmptn.com – The Search and Rescue (SAR) team finally recovered the body of a female passenger on an ATR 42-500 plane that crashed in the Bulusaraung Mountains, South Sulawesi. This discovery further deepens the grief of the victim’s family and the community, who have been anxiously following the search process that has been ongoing for several days.
The accident involving the ATR 42-500 occurred on January 12, 2026, when the plane, departing from Makassar for a remote area in South Sulawesi, lost contact with the control tower at around 10:00 a.m. WITA (Central Indonesian Time). The aircraft, carrying six passengers and crew, disappeared in a mountainous area that is extremely difficult to reach by land vehicles, adding to the challenges faced by the SAR team involved in the operation.
According to initial reports, the aircraft experienced technical problems while flying in uncertain weather conditions, leading to the tragic accident. In the days following the accident, aviation authorities and the SAR team moved quickly, dividing their search efforts into several sectors involving ground, sea, and air personnel. The search was conducted in the area surrounding the missing plane, which is dominated by hilly terrain and dense forest.
After days of searching, on Friday, January 19, 2026, the SAR team finally located the crash site in the Bulusaraung Mountains. However, contrary to expectations, no survivors were found. Among the bodies recovered was a woman identified as a passenger on the plane. Her identity was immediately released by authorities, but the victim’s family remains deeply grieving the loss of their beloved family member. The Head of the Makassar SAR Center, Lieutenant Colonel (SAR) Andi Muchtar, stated that the search process was extremely difficult due to the extreme terrain.
“Our team had to walk for hours through difficult and dangerous paths to reach the estimated location. The discovery of this victim marks the end of this very challenging search, but we remain deeply saddened that not a single victim was rescued,” he said, his voice filled with sorrow.
Meanwhile, the family of the female victim expressed their profound loss. “We never expected this to happen. Although we hoped for a miracle, it wasn’t. We are very grateful to the SAR team for their hard work,” said the father, still sobbing as he gave his statement at the funeral home.
In future developments, the police and aviation authorities will conduct a more in-depth investigation to determine the exact cause of the ATR 42-500 crash. Several witnesses who saw the plane before it crashed reported technical symptoms in the engine, although there has been no official confirmation of this.
Authorities will also examine the condition of the aircraft and the black box recordings recovered at the crash site. These black boxes will provide crucial data for understanding the cause of the accident that claimed the lives of all passengers, including the female victim found in the Bulusaraung Mountains.
As a follow-up measure, aviation authorities are also urging airlines and aviation regulators to increase vigilance in aircraft technical oversight and to tighten safety procedures. This accident serves as a reminder of the importance of safety in the aviation industry, given the many factors that can cause accidents, both technical and external.
This tragic incident has left deep wounds not only for the victims’ families but also for the people of South Sulawesi. Many feel a sense of loss, especially as the aircraft was so familiar to the local community. Since the crash, local residents have gathered to pray and pay their respects to the victims.
As a form of solidarity, several humanitarian organizations and local communities have also been involved in supporting the recovery process following this tragedy, both psychologically for the victims’ families and through logistical assistance for the search and rescue operation. The local government has also sent aid to the victims’ families and ensured they receive the support they need during their grieving period.
The tragedy of the ATR 42-500 crash serves as a valuable lesson regarding the importance of aviation safety and the preparedness of search and rescue teams in emergency situations. Despite the sadness, the community hopes that similar incidents will not happen again in the future and that rescue efforts can be carried out more effectively to reduce the potential loss of life.