Seen From The Air, SAR Finds Intan Angkasa Helicopter From Ilaga Falls In Jila District

SAR at Mozes Kilangin Timika Airport is preparing to evacuate the victims of the PK-IWS helicopter crash belonging to PT Intan Angkasa in Jila District, Mimika, Thursday, September 11 morning (ANTARA)

The joint SAR team detected the location of the PK-IWS helicopter crash belonging to PT Intan Angkasa in Jila District, Mimika Regency, Central Papua Province.

Head of the Timika SAR Operations and Alert Section Charles Y Batlajery said the fragments of the unlucky helicopter had been seen and it was confirmed that they had an accident while flying from Ilaga, Puncak Regency to Timika, Mimika Regency on Wednesday morning.

"What can be seen from the air monitoring is the tellrotor part of the helicopter. The location is closer to Jila," Charles said in Timika, Wednesday, which was confiscated by Antara.

He said that on Wednesday morning two helicopters belonging to PT Intan Angkasa flew, namely PK-IWD Helicopters and PK-IWS Helicopters flying from Ilaga to Timika.

The PK-IWD helicopter flew 10 minutes earlier than the PK-IWS helicopter.

The two helicopter pilots had communicated but were intermittent.

Communication activity of PK-IWS helicopter pilots was also caught by radar in Sentani, Jayapura. Initially, it was suspected that the helicopter made an emergency landing due to bad weather conditions.

"After being confirmed again, it turned out that the PK-IWS helicopter had an accident. This was confirmed visually by the PK-IWD helicopter," said Charles.

After knowing the whereabouts of the unlucky helicopter, the Timika SAR Office together with related staff and the management of PT Intan Angkasa held a meeting to determine the evacuation process of the victims.

The evacuation process is planned to start on Thursday 11 September starting at 06.00 WIT.

"In the morning at 06.00 WIT we will make early observations, because the helicopter reportedly fell into a ravine. Our team had to find a safe landing site so the rescue team could evacuate the victims," Charles said.

The PK IWS helicopter belonging to PT Intan Angkasa was reported to have transported four people and lost contact on Wednesday afternoon at around 11.38 WIT.