SAR: 4 Bodies Of Victims Of Falling Helicopters In Central Papua Taken To Mimika Hospital

TIMIKA - The bodies of the victims of the Intan Angkasa Air Service PK-IWS helicopter accident that crashed in Jila District on Thursday afternoon arrived at Mozes Kilangin Timika Airport and were immediately taken to the local hospital for identification and submission to the family.

The bodies of the pilots, technicians, and two passengers, the PK-IWS helicopter, were transported from Jila using two helicopters belonging to PT Intan Angkasa and arrived at Mozes Kilangin Timika Airport at around 13.35 WIT.

Furthermore, four body bags of the victims were taken to Mimika Hospital using four hearses belonging to the Timika SAR, Mimika Police, Yohanis Kapiyau Timika Air Force Base, and PSC 119 belonging to the Mimika Health Office.

Head of the Timika SAR Operations and Alert Sub-Section, Central Papua, Charles Y Batlajery, said the condition of the bodies of the victims was still intact and recognizable.

"From the results of operations in the field, all victims are easily recognized visually. Today we also leave it to the family," Charles said as quoted by Antara.

Based on reports from the Timika SAR personnel who jumped into the scene, it was found that the crash site was in a ravine and forest in a mountainous area between Ilaga District, Puncak Regency, and Jila District, Mimika Regency.

"We cannot confirm whether it belongs to the Ilaga region or the Jila region, but closer to Ilaga," Charles explained.

Even so, the process of evacuating the victims was younger through the Jila route, so the SAR team decided to collect all the bodies of the victims in Jila and then flown to Timika.

Currently, the relevant parties are still waiting for the presence of the National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) team to investigate the exact cause of the PK-IWS helicopter belonging to PT Intan Angkasa.

"Based on information from the PK-IWD Heli pilot who flew 10 minutes ahead of the PK-IWS helicopter yesterday, the weather conditions were not good. That's why the PK-IWD Heli pilot thought that the PK-IWS helicopter was landing at an emergency, but it turned out to have an accident," said Charles.