Search launched for Bouraq crash victims<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Search and rescue teams began their journey
\nyesterday to Mount Komawa in Fakfak, Irian Jaya, where a Bouraq
\nHS 748 plane with 10 people aboard crashed last Wednesday.<\/p>\n
An official at the Bouraq office in Jakarta told The Jakarta
\nPost that the operation was being hampered by bad weather.<\/p>\n
\"The weather was bad over there. We have reports that even the
\nhelicopter is commuting back and forth because of the weather
\nconditions,\" said Agam Supriatno last night.<\/p>\n
Due to the harsh conditions, as of last night there had been
\nno confirmation on whether any survivors had been found or even
\nif the search and rescue team had successfully reached the site
\nof the wreckage.<\/p>\n
Search and rescue teams were launched yesterday. One
\nhelicopter was heading directly to the crash site while the other
\nwas to attempt to reach the site from the other side of the
\nmountain, which is located not far from the sea.<\/p>\n
\"I'm sorry we can't give any further information. Even the
\nfamilies of the passengers and crew are waiting for information
\nfrom us,\" Agam added.<\/p>\n
The special PT Istana Samudera Indonesia charter flight from
\nTual on the island of Kuai Kecil in the Banda Sea was heading to
\nAdi island and the city of Kaimana in the Fakfak regency.<\/p>\n
On board the two-engine propeller plane were Captains Herizal
\nMahmud, Faturachman and Achmad Mualis, technician Hakim,
\nstewardesses Emilia and Poppy, passengers Harli Octavianus, the
\nchief representative of Bouraq Airline in Tual, Febby Samuel,
\ndirector of PT Istana Samudera Indonesia, along with security
\nofficers Hendra Halim and Hartadi.<\/p>\n
As reported by Antara from Kaimana, Minister of Transportation
\nHaryanto Dhanutirto was scheduled to arrive at Kaimana airport to
\nhelp supervise the evacuation of the victims.<\/p>\n
The plane has been missing for several days, with the vast
\narea and density of the Irian Jaya jungle making it difficult to
\nlocate the plane.<\/p>\n
Two airplanes flying over the area two days after the crash
\nwere able to pick up signals from the plane's Emergency Locator
\nBeacon, though search efforts could not pinpoint the exact
\nlocation.<\/p>\n
Not until Sunday evening was the wreckage sighted by search
\nplanes flying near the peak of the 2,800-meter high Mount Komawa.<\/p>\n
Despite being missing for nearly one week, Fakfak regent
\nSuparlan Pasambuna still expressed hope of finding survivors.<\/p>\n
As quoted by Antara, Suparlan said the position of the plane,
\nwhose nose is lodged in the mountain, and the fact that parts of
\nthe fuselage are still intact offered some optimism on the fate
\nof the survivors. (mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/search-launched-for-bouraq-crash-victims-1447893297",
"image": ""
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