Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia has opened an investigation into the crash of an Indonesia Air Transport ATR 42-500 on Mount Bulusaraung in South Sulawesi, as search teams continue recovery efforts.
The Transportation Ministry said no conclusions have been reached on the cause, and weather conditions are among factors being examined, civil aviation chief Lukman F. Laisa said Monday.
The Civil Aviation Directorate reported the turboprop, registered PK-THT, lost contact Saturday during a flight from Yogyakarta to Makassar.
Combined search teams later found aircraft debris on Mount Bulusaraung, on the border of Maros and Pangkajene Kepulauan districts in South Sulawesi, Lukman said.
The crash site is about 26.49 kilometers from Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar and close to the nearest national search and rescue post.
Debris was located Sunday morning during a coordinated ground and air search operation involving drones and Indonesian air force helicopters.
A drone deployed at 6:15 a.m. local time helped guide teams to the area before helicopter sweeps were conducted over steep terrain.
At 7:46 a.m., rescuers visually identified a window fragment, marking the suspected crash site, officials said.
Three minutes later, larger debris believed to include sections of the fuselage and tail was spotted nearby, confirming the aircraft's location.
Lukman stressed authorities are not yet able to determine what caused the accident and urged patience during the investigation.
All investigative authority rests with the National Transportation Safety Committee, which will release official findings in line with regulations, the ministry said.
There were 10 people aboard the aircraft, including seven crew members and three passengers, according to the civil aviation directorate.
The crew included the captain, first officer, flight operations officer, two engineers, and two flight attendants, officials said.
The three passengers were employees of the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, traveling on official duties, the ministry confirmed.
They were Ferry Irawan, Deden Mulyana, and Yoga Naufal, holding positions in vessel analysis, state asset management, and aerial photography.
Evacuation efforts are ongoing, led by the national search agency with military, police, and community support from a command post 4.6 kilometers away.
Preliminary reports showed visibility of about eight kilometers with partly cloudy conditions, while updated weather data are being coordinated with the meteorology agency.
On the third day of the search, rescuers recovered the body of a woman from a ravine 50 meters below the summit, a day after finding a male victim.
