Search For Sriwijaya Air SJ-182 Day 12, SAR Team Focuses On Underwater Dive

IluSTRATION / SAR Operation Combined search for victims and Sriwijaya Air SJ-182 aircraft (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The joint SAR team continues the search for victims and materials of the Sriwijaya Air SJ-182 aircraft on the 12th day. Today, SAR operations are more focused on looking for underwater findings.

Basarnas Operations Director, Rasman said that the search for underwater diving is divided into four sectors. The search location is reduced from the previous which is divided into six sectors.

"To focus our search more on underwater. We divide it into four sectors. We determine the zone 15 to 30 meters multiplied by four sectors. So, we narrow it down there because it is estimated that is where the breakdown point or the point of fall is. carried out yesterday, we can still find parts of the victim's body and debris, "said Rasman at the JICT II Integrated Command Post, North Jakarta, Wednesday, January 20.

However, the search operation as a whole still uses the three media method, namely in the air, at sea level and under the sea.

Against searches in the air, the SAR team remotely monitors aircraft material and victims that appear on the surface. Meanwhile, in a surface search, the team will comb searches on the coast.

"On the surface, we will continue to strive around the island, then on the North coast of Java towards Jakarta, Banten, and so on," he said.

Rasman continued, the weather conditions around the Thousand Islands which were the location of the search were in good condition. This will make it easier for ships to divers to find victims and aircraft material.

"For the implementation, today's weather is good enough to support our colleagues to do diving activities. We hope that the second extension will be extended on the second day, our colleagues can get maximum results," said Rasman.

In today's search, there are 300 teams of divers who will descend alternately. "Because the dive has been 12 days, it is certainly very draining for our colleagues, so we also adjust the rhythm so that in the future the condition is still in prime condition," he said.

Meanwhile, the number of ships operating was 62. However, not all ships were in the last known position (LKP) or the point where the plane crashed. Some ships have to dock to fill logistics.

In addition to large ships, the team also fielded 21 small defense equipment, namely RIB, jet ski, and so on. On the land route, there are 30 ambulances on alert.