Bad weather hampers Cessna retrieval

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.