Body of Pelita Air Pilot Found After Fuel-Carrying Aircraft Crashes in Nunukan

The Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), through the Indonesia–Malaysia Border Security Task Force of the 4th Armed Battalion and elements of the Nunukan Military District Command, have recovered the body of a PT Pelita Air Service pilot who was killed in an aircraft accident in the Pabetung Remayo mountain range, East Krayan District, Nunukan Regency, North Kalimantan Province, on Thursday.

In an official TNI press release received by ANTARA in Jakarta, it was explained that personnel successfully located the body after launching a search upon receiving information about the crash.

Head of General Information at the TNI Information Centre, Navy Colonel Agung Saptoadi, confirmed to ANTARA in Jakarta that after evacuating the body, TNI personnel continued their search to recover the aircraft’s black box.

“Joint personnel continue to carry out search efforts for the aircraft’s black box and other materials to support the further investigation process,” Agung said.

According to the same press release, the aircraft with call sign PK-PAA, an Air Tractor AT802 type, was conducting a fuel transportation flight for the operational needs of PT Pertamina (Persero) on the Tarakan–Long Bawan–Tarakan route.

The aircraft departed from Juwata Airport in Tarakan at 10.15 local time and landed at Yuvai Semaring Airport in Long Bawan at 11.10 local time.

After completing its logistics delivery mission, the aircraft departed again from Yuvai Semaring Airport in Long Bawan at 12.10 local time without any fuel cargo and carrying only the single pilot.

At approximately 12.20 local time, the aircraft was reported to have crashed in the Pabetung Remayo mountain area in the East Krayan region of Nunukan Regency.