JAKARTA - The Indonesian Navy (TNI) has deployed two aircraft to carry out maritime air patrols in a search and rescue mission for 17 ships that went missing in the waters of Pontianak, West Kalimantan, due to bad weather.
Commander of the Fleet Command I (Pangkoarmada I) Admiral TNI Abdul Rasyid explained that the two aircraft strengthened the combined SAR element.
"These two planes are types of aircraft that have the capability in maritime reconnaissance," said Rasyid, quoted by Antara, Monday, July 19.
The two Indonesian Navy aircraft, namely the CN 235-220 MPA with the hull number P-8305, are under the control of Guspurla Koarmada I Operation Siaga Segara-21.
Aircraft P-8305 with Marine First Lieutenant Pilot Captain (P) Aditya Mulyarajasa will carry out a search by air at a cruising altitude of 3,000 feet or about 900 meters above sea level.
The search method is "parallel mode" at six predetermined coordinate points in a search area of 825 Nautical Mile (NM) square in the waters west of West Kalimantan about 80 NM from Supadio Airbase Pontianak.
The other aircraft, namely the Cassa MPA P-8203. In addition, two warships, KRI Kerambit-627 and KRI Clurit-641, have been assisted. Two Naval Patrol Vessels Kal Lemukutan and Kal Sambas and the Pontianak Lantamal XII SAR Team.
KRI Usman Harun-359, which was previously involved in the Joint SAR, was later replaced by KRI Clurit-641. KRI Usman Harun-359 will then resume operations in sovereignty patrols in border waters.
"All the potential of the Indonesian Navy, both personnel and defense equipment, will be deployed for humanitarian activities such as disaster management and search and rescue. This is one of the implementations of the order from the leadership of the Navy, Chief of the Navy, Admiral Yudo Margono to his staff," said Rasyid.
On the fifth day of the search, the joint SAR team managed to find one fishing boat that was reported missing, KM Hyden 188 in an overturned position, then it was withdrawn for a dive to ensure that there were victims trapped in the hull.
Until the fifth day of searching on Sunday, July 18, from data compiled by the Joint SAR, 80 people were declared safe from a total of 138 crew members. The crew of the 17 ships that experienced the disaster. A total of 15 crew members were found dead and 43 people are still being searched.
Meanwhile, today, the SAR elements of the Indonesian Navy who are members of the Joint Search and Rescue Operations Search and Rescue 17 ships that experienced the disaster will again carry out searches in the air and sea sectors that have been planned.
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