TNI AU Deploys Korpasgat After the ATR 42-500 Aircraft Crash is Known

JAKARTA - A total of five soldiers from the Rapid Deployment Force (Korpasgat) used the H225M Caracal helicopter from Air Squadron 8 to check the crash site of the ATR 42-500 aircraft.

The point of the plane's fall was known to the Indonesian Air Force to be in the Gunung Bulusaraung area, Maros Regency, South Sulawesi.

"Following up on the findings, the Air Force immediately sent five soldiers from the Rapid Deployment Force (Korpasgat) and one Basarnas (National Search and Rescue Agency) personnel using the H225M Caracal helicopter to the location," said Head of the Air Force Public Information Service, First Marshal TNI I Nyoman Suadnyana in a statement, Sunday, January 18, 2026.

Furthermore, the Head of the Military Police said that the Korpasgat soldiers immediately prepared the initial steps of the evacuation process when they arrived at the point where the plane crashed.

Meanwhile, he said the Air Force also deployed joint soldiers consisting of soldiers from Sultan Hasanuddin Air Base, Yon Parako 473 Korpasagat, and Yon Arhanud 23 Korpasgat through land routes.

"The ground team joined other SAR elements and the local community to strengthen the search and evacuation efforts," he explained.

He emphasized that the Air Force was committed to continuing to support the evacuation process and assisting the relevant authorities in the continued handling.

Previously, on January 17, 2026, Deputy Operations and Preparedness of Basarnas Edy Prakoso confirmed the news that the ATR 42-500 aircraft belonging to Indonesia Air Transport carrying 11 people had been reported missing in the Maros Regency area, South Sulawesi.