National team leads search for missing Cessna
National team leads search for missing Cessna
Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Kuningan, West Java
The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) finally took
over the search for a light training aircraft Cessna 172 PK-DCM,
last seen on Thursday of last week above West Java during its
flight from Semarang, Central Java, to Jakarta.
The takeover was designed to improve coordination in search
activities, an official said.
Head of the Basarnas operational unit Hadi Tugiman said on
Tuesday that Kuningan, West Java, Military chief Lt. Col. Harry
Suharyanto would be the field commander in the search.
Harry would be accompanied by Kuningan Police chief Adj. Sr.
Comr. Hasanuddin.
Besides taking over command of the search, Basarnas also
declared Setianegara village in Cilimus district, Kuningan
regency, as the command post for the search.
The team would focus its search around Mount Ceremai, Kuningan
and Mount Burangrang, Purwakarta, West Java.
"All instructions will be made from the command post," Hadi
said.
A Cessna light aircraft went missing during a training flight,
leaving the fate of three people, instructor Berty Franky and two
students, Gagak Eskandarian and Prasetyo Arwin Bunandir, still
unknown.
Meantime, although the Muslim community observed the Day of
Sacrifice, Idul Adha, on Wednesday, the search for the ill-fated
aircraft belonging to PT Deraya flying school continued.
Coordinator of the Forest Youth Activists (AKAR) Avo Juhartono
said his rescue team had not found the plane by the fifth day of
the search.
"As of now, we haven't discovered the location where the plane
fell," Avo said on Wednesday.
Hadi Tugiman also said that his team would still need
assistance from various parties, including nongovernmental
organizations (NGOs), the Indonesian Military (TNI), the National
Police and the regional administration.
He added that the agency would deploy 62 trained personnel to
the search-and-rescue activities. They would be drawn from a
variety of organizations such as the Army, Air Force, police,
NGOs and environmental groups.
The search would also be supported by at least two aircraft
and seven helicopters.
"The aircraft and helicopters have been readied for deployment
either at Ciremai or Burangrang," Hadi said, adding that the
search team had not yet found the location where the plane fell
to ground.
Search-and-rescue personnel have explored three square
kilometers of upland around Mount Ciremai, from 1,000 meters
above sea level to 2,250 meters.
The next search would concentrate on other areas, involving
the 62 people in six groups.
Hadi added that the search for the ill-fated aircraft would
continue and be evaluated after seven days. "We will consider
whether to continue or to stop the search after seven days," Hadi
added.