Search for missing passenger ended

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: Rescue workers stopped on Tuesday the search for Munadi, the only passenger of the downed Gatari Bell helicopter not yet accounted for. The helicopter crashed in the waters off the provincial coast here on April 4.

The rescue team was to end its mission on Friday but extended it by four days following the salvage of the wreckage. The team found the bodies of Mainuddin, Jufri, Amir Hamzah, Laurensius and Devi Irawan inside the helicopter.

A total of 12 people were on board when the helicopter chartered by Unocal oil company went down. Five of them survived, but pilot Prabowo Yuwono was found dead.

Unocal has announced a Rp 500,000 (US$57) reward for the discovery of the body of Munadi.

The helicopter crashed nine minutes after taking off from Unocal's 601 offshore platform between Tanjungsantan and Balikpapan.