Sriwijaya Air SJ-182 SAR Operation Continued, 360 Divers Deployed

JAKARTA - A total of 360 divers from the joint search team were deployed on the eighth day of the search and rescue mission for the Sriwijaya Air SJ-182 plane on the Jakarta-Pontianak route that crashed in the Thousand Islands.

"Until now, there are 360 people who will do the dives according to the data I received," said Basarnas Operations Director Brigadier General TNI (Mar) Rasman MS at the JICT2 Integrated SAR Command, Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, quoted by Antara, Saturday, January 16.

Rasman said the search mission will focus on six sectors in the water area which is thought to be the location of the bodies of the victims and the debris of the aircraft.

"Especially around Lancang Island, Laki Island, Bokor Island, Rambut Island, Untung Jawa Island, then Tanjung Kait, and along the North Coast," he added.

Rasman conveyed that the focus of the Sriwijaya Air SJ 182 search and rescue mission on the eighth day would prioritize the bodies of the victims as well as the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and aircraft debris.

"Today, we remain focused on the three objects that we will search for, the bodies remain prioritized, because this is a hope for the families of the victims," he said.

Previously, the Sriwijaya Air plane registration number PK-CLC with flight number SJ182 on the Jakarta-Pontianak route lost contact on Saturday, January 9 at 14:40 WIB and crashed in the waters of the Thousand Islands between Lancang Island and Laki Island.

The Boeing 737-500 aircraft lost contact at a position 11 nautical miles (nautical mile / nm) north of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tangerang after passing an altitude of 11,000 feet and at the time of increasing altitude at 13,000 feet.

The plane took off from Soekarno Hatta Airport at 14:36 WIB, Saturday, January 9. The schedule was delayed from the previous flight schedule at 13.35 WIB due to weather factors.

Based on manifest data, the plane that was produced in 1994 carried 62 people consisting of 50 passengers and 12 crew members. Of these, 40 adults, seven children, three babies. Meanwhile, the 12 crew consists of six active crews and six extra crews.