Scattered pieces of debris have been found following the crash of an Indonesian plane carrying 11 people.
Rescuers confirmed Sunday that parts of the aircraft’s wreckage were located in South Sulawesi, a day after the plane vanished during flight.
Footage from the search area shows debris strewn across a steep mountainside, strengthening fears that the crash was unsurvivable. So far, only one body has been found.
The ATR 42-500 aircraft was operated by Indonesia Air Transport on behalf of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.
Eight crew members and three ministry employees were on board, though their fate has not yet been officially confirmed.
Contact with the aircraft was lost around 1:30 p.m. local time Saturday as it flew near the Maros region while traveling from Yogyakarta to Makassar.
Helicopter crews spotted the first signs of wreckage at 7:46 a.m. Sunday in the rugged terrain of Mount Bulusaraung.
Search teams identified several debris sites, including shattered windows and sections of fuselage scattered along the mountainsides.
The plane’s tail section was later found at the base of the mountain range, underscoring the severity of the impact.
Data from Flightradar24 showed the aircraft’s final signal was transmitted at low altitude over the ocean, about 20 kilometers from Makassar’s Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport.
Authorities believe the plane crashed while approaching the airport, with terrain and weather conditions likely complicating the final phase of the flight.
Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee has opened an investigation into the cause of the crash.
Officials said the aircraft disappeared from radar just 12 miles from its destination.
Residents in the area reported hearing a sound “like burning material” followed by a loud explosion shortly before debris was located.
Hikers on Mount Bulusaraung said they saw wreckage scattered across the area, including a logo believed to belong to Indonesia Air.
Small fires were also reported burning near the crash site.
Rescue teams continue to comb through the debris as concerns grow that the crash killed all 11 people on board.
Dense fog and steep mountain terrain have significantly hampered ground search efforts.
South Sulawesi’s Hasanuddin military commander, Maj. Gen. Bangun Nawoko, said reports of sightings had been passed to authorities and were being verified by teams trying to reach the site.
Andi Sultan, head of the Makassar Basarnas Operations Section, said 60 search and rescue personnel were deployed using coordinates provided by Airnav.
“We have headed to the location of the coordinates around the Leang-Leang area,” Sultan said.
Director General of Air Transport Lukman F. Laisa said air traffic control attempted to redirect the plane after it deviated from its approach path.
“The aircraft was identified not to be on the approach path it should have been, so the air traffic control gave a redirection to the crew to correct the position,” Laisa said.
He added that further instructions were issued before contact was lost and an emergency phase was declared.
Authorities noted that the aircraft’s low altitude near the coast limited radar coverage during its final moments.
The plane, registered as PK-THT, is owned by Indonesia Air Transport, a charter company that operates long-term government contracts for marine and fisheries surveillance.
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