Bad weather hampers Cessna retrieval

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Due to bad weather, a rescue team was unable on Tuesday to evacuate the wreckage of a training aircraft, located on the western slopes of Mount Ciremai, West Java, after it had been missing for 10 days.

Officials said thick fog had hampered rescuers from gaining access to the wreckage of the ill-fated Cessna 172 and removing the bodies of its pilot and two trainee pilots.

The evacuation was also made difficult because the wreckage was located in a steep valley in Sadarehe, Rajagaluh subdistrict, Majalengka regency.

The evacuation mission involved members from the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), local government and security officials, and volunteers from organizations and local villagers.

Majalengka Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Muktiono was quoted by Antara as saying on Tuesday that the rescuers had figured out that the wreckage was located in Kawah Burung village.

He said that despite the bad weather, the rescuers would continue in their mission to try and gain access to the wreckage by combing the thick forest on the western slopes of Mount Ciremai.

The Cessna went missing on Feb. 7 on a flight from Semarang, Central Java, to Jakarta. Since that time, the search and rescue teams had labored to locate it but called a stop to the search on Sunday after nine days, when hopes of finding the airplane had faded.

The search, which involved 69 trained personnel and 206 volunteers from government offices and organizations, was resumed at midday on Monday shortly after a report was received of an airplane propeller being found near Kawah Burung village.

The light plane was operated by Deraya Flying School, based at Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma air base.