Search continues for missing helicopter<\/p>\n
PURWAKARTA, West Java (JP): The fate of three crew members of
\na N-Bell 412 helicopter which went missing on a flight from
\nSemarang to Bandung remained unclear on Friday, with rescue
\nworkers stepping up the search in a 30-kilometer radius, from
\nRendeh Cikalong Wetan village in Bandung regency to the
\nmountainous Burangrang area.<\/p>\n
The control tower lost contact with the helicopter, piloted by
\nCapt. Bobby and copilot Sucahyo Wahyu, at about 2:45 p.m. on
\nThursday, Search and Rescue (SAR) Agency official Hadi Tugiman
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
A mechanic, Hendri Jatmiko, was also on board. The helicopter
\nwas scheduled to arrive in Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung
\nat 2:55 p.m. on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The N-Bell 412 helicopter belonged to the Ministry of Forestry
\nand Plantations, not to charter firm PT Gatari as earlier
\nreported. The ministry bought the helicopter in December last
\nyear.<\/p>\n
"Usually if a helicopter crashes, it appears to be swallowed
\nup by the forest as the pressure produced by the rotor will
\nseparate tree branches, and after the crash the branches will
\nreturn to their initial position," officer Hadi said.<\/p>\n
He assumed that the helicopter had no automatic location
\ntransmitter and said it would therefore be difficult for the SAR
\nteam to locate it.<\/p>\n
The helicopter was produced by aircraft manufacturer PT
\nDirgantara Indonesia (PT DI), formerly IPTN, public relations
\nmanager of PT DI Rakhendi said in Bandung on Friday.<\/p>\n
"The helicopter was in good condition when it left Kalijati
\nAirport in Subang (West Java) after loading fuel," he said.<\/p>\n
Some 200 personnel from SAR, the Air Force, the police, IPTN,
\nWanadri nature enthusiasts as well as locals were deployed to
\nlocate the copper.<\/p>\n
The search was halted at 4 p.m. on Friday due to thick fog in
\nthe area and will resume on Saturday.<\/p>\n
"We received information from locals in Kampung Gunung Bakti
\nin Cihanjawar village of Purwakarta that they saw a helicopter
\nflying around their village before it disappeared," said Bandung
\nPolice chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Bagus Kurniawan.<\/p>\n
Locals of Kampung Gunung Bakti said two planes had crashed in
\nthe area before.<\/p>\n
"The first was in 1973, and the second was in 1986 when a
\nDonier plane piloted by Rear Marshall Ramli Sumardi crashed.
\nRescuers only managed to locate the plane wreckage a week later
\nin Lebak Leunca. The officer's body was found with the help of a
\nlocal psychic," said 42-year-old local Udung.<\/p>\n
"The one-rotor helicopter was one of 24 similar helicopter
\nproduced by PT DI. Each unit is worth some US$4.5 million."<\/p>\n
"This type of helicopter has been used by the military as well
\nas giant companies such as PT Freeport, Airfast and Gatari,"
\nRakhendi said. (25\/edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/search-continues-for-missing-helicopter-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}