Basarnas Suspends Search For Missing Aviastar After First Day

Makassar, S Sulawesi (Antara Bali) - The national SAR agency (Basarnas) and the fact-finding joint team tasked with tracking down the missing Aviastar plane have suspended their search efforts at the end of the first day, an official has said.

"Nothing was found on the first day of search. In line with the operational standards, the search effort was conducted only up to 05.00 p.m. We will resume efforts to track down (the plane) tomorrow," the chief of the national SAR agency, Vice Marshal F Henry Bambang Soelistyo, said here on Saturday.

The Twin Otter aircraft belonging to Aviastar airline lost contact while on its way from Masamba sub-district to Makassar city, South Sulawesi, at 2:36 p.m. Central Indonesia Time (WITA), on Friday, an official stated.

"An Aviastar aircraft, bearing registration number DHC6/PKBRM, went missing," Julius Andravida Barata, a spokesman of the Transportation Ministry, stated while confirming the incident.

The ill-fated aircraft went missing during its flight from Masamba at 2:29 p.m. local time. It was scheduled to arrive at the Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar, South Sulawesi, at 3:39 p.m. local time.

According to Andi Sultan, Basten Utara, where a white plane was seen flying low, is located along the Luwu-Palopo border area that has a dense forest and is rarely accessed by communities. It is about 13 kilometers from the command post. (WDY)