RRI.CO.ID, Makassar - The Joint SAR Team successfully located the debris of the Indonesia Air Transport ATR 42-500 aircraft on the peak of Mount Bulusaraung, Maros Regency, South Sulawesi, Sunday, 18 January 2026. The discovery came less than 24 hours after the plane was reported to have lost contact on Saturday afternoon near the border of Maros and Pangkep.

Head of the Makassar Search and Rescue Office, Muhammad Arif Anwar, acting as the SAR Mission Coordinator (SMC) for the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), confirmed the breakthrough during a press conference at Sultan Hasanuddin Airport. He detailed that aerial surveillance played a crucial role in identifying the specific crash site where the wreckage was found scattered.

“We conveyed on this occasion that at 08:02 local time this morning, the Joint SAR Team, specifically the Indonesian Air Force's Caracal Helicopter, successfully discovered aircraft debris. It is believed to be the aircraft's fuselage, tail, and windows,” he conveyed.

Following the visual confirmation of the debris, authorities immediately deployed massive resources to reach the crash site. Arif said the joint SAR team divided into groups to traverse two main routes that were difficult to access. This joint SAR team, according to him, consists of more than 1,000 personnel.

Besides, Arif further mentioned,“The victim search method employed by the joint SAR team divided into four ground SRUs (Search and Rescue Units) and two air SRUs. The air unit utilized an Indonesian Air Force Boeing aircraft and a Caracal Helicopter. As for the ground unit, one, two, three, and four, they are the joint SAR team consisting of approximately 1,200 personnel currently on-site.”

As ground teams reached the debris field, the first casualties were reported. Meanwhile, as cited by the social media accounts of the Hasanuddin Regional Military Command, Makassar, on Sunday afternoon, Indonesian Military personnel managed to recover one male victim.

In total, the aircraft carried 8 crew members and 3 passengers. Currently, the recovered victim has been evacuated to the Ajuan post or field coordination post as the search for the remaining individuals continues under high-intensity operations.