National team leads search for missing Cessna<\/p>\n
Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Kuningan, West Java<\/p>\n
The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) finally took
\nover the search for a light training aircraft Cessna 172 PK-DCM,
\nlast seen on Thursday of last week above West Java during its
\nflight from Semarang, Central Java, to Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The takeover was designed to improve coordination in search
\nactivities, an official said.<\/p>\n
Head of the Basarnas operational unit Hadi Tugiman said on
\nTuesday that Kuningan, West Java, Military chief Lt. Col. Harry
\nSuharyanto would be the field commander in the search.<\/p>\n
Harry would be accompanied by Kuningan Police chief Adj. Sr.
\nComr. Hasanuddin.<\/p>\n
Besides taking over command of the search, Basarnas also
\ndeclared Setianegara village in Cilimus district, Kuningan
\nregency, as the command post for the search.<\/p>\n
The team would focus its search around Mount Ceremai, Kuningan
\nand Mount Burangrang, Purwakarta, West Java.<\/p>\n
"All instructions will be made from the command post," Hadi
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
A Cessna light aircraft went missing during a training flight,
\nleaving the fate of three people, instructor Berty Franky and two
\nstudents, Gagak Eskandarian and Prasetyo Arwin Bunandir, still
\nunknown.<\/p>\n
Meantime, although the Muslim community observed the Day of
\nSacrifice, Idul Adha, on Wednesday, the search for the ill-fated
\naircraft belonging to PT Deraya flying school continued.<\/p>\n
Coordinator of the Forest Youth Activists (AKAR) Avo Juhartono
\nsaid his rescue team had not found the plane by the fifth day of
\nthe search.<\/p>\n
"As of now, we haven't discovered the location where the plane
\nfell," Avo said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Hadi Tugiman also said that his team would still need
\nassistance from various parties, including nongovernmental
\norganizations (NGOs), the Indonesian Military (TNI), the National
\nPolice and the regional administration.<\/p>\n
He added that the agency would deploy 62 trained personnel to
\nthe search-and-rescue activities. They would be drawn from a
\nvariety of organizations such as the Army, Air Force, police,
\nNGOs and environmental groups.<\/p>\n
The search would also be supported by at least two aircraft
\nand seven helicopters.<\/p>\n
"The aircraft and helicopters have been readied for deployment
\neither at Ciremai or Burangrang," Hadi said, adding that the
\nsearch team had not yet found the location where the plane fell
\nto ground.<\/p>\n
Search-and-rescue personnel have explored three square
\nkilometers of upland around Mount Ciremai, from 1,000 meters
\nabove sea level to 2,250 meters.<\/p>\n
The next search would concentrate on other areas, involving
\nthe 62 people in six groups.<\/p>\n
Hadi added that the search for the ill-fated aircraft would
\ncontinue and be evaluated after seven days. "We will consider
\nwhether to continue or to stop the search after seven days," Hadi
\nadded.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/national-team-leads-search-for-missing-cessna-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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