MAKASSAR - The family of Muhammad Farhan Gunawan, one of the victims of the ATR 42-500 plane crash in Mount Bulusaraung, Pangkajene Kepulauan Regency (Pangkep), visited the Biddokkes Ante Mortem Post of the South Sulawesi Police on Jalan Kumala Makassar, South Sulawesi, to take DNA samples.
"Today, there is one person who actively came to the Biddokes DVI post by providing information about his relationship with the person concerned (the victim), including taking his DNA sample," said Head of Biddokkes of the South Sulawesi Police, Kombes Pol Muhammad Haris, quoted by Antara, Monday, January 19.
The family's arrival was to ensure the DNA match with the victim if the body is later found and to facilitate identification by the DVI team. The family member whose sample was taken was named Haerul Gunawan, the victim's younger brother.
"If the body or body of the victim is found, it will be immediately matched with the samples taken," said Kombes Haris to reporters at the local DVI Post.
Apart from the family of the victim Muhammad Farhan in South Sulawesi, he continued, one of the other victims' families, Esther Aprilita as a flight attendant on the ATR plane, also came to Biddokes in West Java Province.
"There are also families who have come to Biddokes in West Java to be questioned, including taking samples, namely the family of the victim, one of which is Ester, a flight attendant," he said.
Haris stated that his party had coordinated by trying to contact the victims' families to be able to take statements and DNA samples. It is recorded that there were 10 victims in the plane crash.
"There are still eight other victims. We are actively contacting and contacting the victims' families to take samples," he added.
Previously, the South Sulawesi Police Chief Inspector General Pol Djuhandhani Rahardjo Puro said that the Bayangkara Biddokes Hospital of the South Sulawesi Police was now used as a location for identifying the victims of the plane and personnel from the DVI National Police Headquarters had been brought in.
"Until now, the victim's family has been present to be examined or checked for ante mortem data. There is one person, namely the younger brother of the Co Pilot of the plane," he explained.
To support the examination service, continued the Police Chief, a ball pick-up was carried out for the examination of the victims' families in coordination with other regional Biddokes, which was the post mortem and ante mortem examination to identify the victims.
The plane was carrying 10 people, seven crew members and three POB (persons on board) passengers. All three are known to be employees of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP). Each of them is Ferry Irawan, Deden Mulyana and Yoga Naufal.
Meanwhile, the crew of the aircraft was seven people, with the pilot Captain Andi Dahananto, co-pilot Muhammad Farhan Gunawan, aircraft crew Hariadi, Restu Adi, Dwi Murdiono, Florencia Lolita, Esther Aprilita.
Previously, the ATR 42-500 aircraft belonging to Indonesia Air Transport (IAT) was reported missing in the Bulusaraung mountain area of the border area of Maros-Pangkep Regency, South Sulawesi while preparing to land at Hasanuddin Airport on Saturday (17/1/2026) afternoon.
So far, on the second day of the SAR operation, a number of aircraft debris and one body of the victim whose identity has not been identified has been found by the Joint SAR team in the local mountain during the SAR operation.
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