Missing Helicopter Pilot and Crew Waving Red Cloth Are Rescued

Evakuasi pilot dan kru heli hilang (DOK. Polda Papua)

JAKARTA - Pilots and helicopter crews who were found in a river basin in Painai Regency, Papua, were successfully evacuated. The three people were evacuated after the helicopter made an emergency landing and lost contact.

"The victim of the PK USS helicopter incident, which belongs to PT NUH, at Kali Degeuwo, Painai District, safely arrived," said the Head of Public Relations of the Papua Police, Kombes AM Kamal, in a written statement, Saturday, September 19.

The evacuation of the three people in the helicopter was carried out this morning. The three of them were taken to Nabire. They were evacuated by using helicopter, and assisted by PT Freeport Indonesia.

First, the joint team evacuated two people, Endi Nawalaga and Erik Kurniawan. The two men were lifted with special ropes at the helicopter landing site.

"At 10.30 WIT (the team) evacuated a crew, M Aswar Jamal. The victim was then evacuated to Nabire Regional Hospital," said Kamal.

The helicopter previously lost contact at 10.30 WIT, Thursday, 17 September. At that time, the copter brought food ingredients to 99 Ndeotadi Village, Paniai Regency. The next day, the helicopter was found in a river basin with dense mountain forest conditions.