Searches For Missing Helicopters Owned By Mining Companies In Halmahera Constrained By Weather

Forest illustration (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Weather conditions are one of the factors determining the success of the search for logistics helicopters for the exploration of nickel mining company PT Indonesia Weda Bay Industri Park (IWIP), which was lost in the Central Halmahera forest, North Maluku Province.

Head of the Ternate Basarnas Office Fatur Rahman admitted that his personnel coordinated with the BMKG regarding weather conditions this morning to facilitate the search for the fallen helicopter.

He explained that the Bell 429 PK-WSW helicopter flown by pilots and pilot and carrying a passenger was missing on Tuesday, February 20 at around 13.40 WIT.

"At that time the pilot had passed an altitude of 2,000 feet," he said when confirmed by ANTARA, Wednesday, February 21.

He mentioned before being reported missing, at around 13.15 WIT, the pilot had reported to the local helicopter landing officer (HLO) that the pilot heard the sound of an explosion.

This was revealed from the flight radio footage containing a pilot conversation with the helicopter landing officer received by Basarnas.

Armed with this information, Basarnas went straight to the location. However, because it was raining on Tuesday, starting today a search was carried out in collaboration with the police, the Central Halmahera Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), and representatives of the company.

The joint team searched the area of the first point of the helicopter reported missing contact on the coordinate route 0.28'13.47"N / 127°56'0.19"E - 0.099'20.54"N / 127°58'17.28"E Central Halmahera.

Basarnas officers confirmed that the alleged missing helicopter was in a forest area, so it needed preparedness.