Search Intensifies for Missing Helicopter in Indonesia’s Borneo Forests

Jakarta, Sep 2 (AP) Search and rescue operations are underway in Indonesia as teams work tirelessly to locate a missing helicopter over the Borneo forests. The aircraft, with eight individuals on board, including an Indian national, vanished from radar the previous day.

The helicopter in question, an Airbus BK117 D-3 owned by Eastindo Air, lost contact with air traffic control a mere eight minutes after departing from Kotabaru district airport in South Kalimantan province on Monday. Its intended destination was Palangkaraya City in Central Kalimantan Province.

Aboard the ill-fated helicopter were three foreign nationals: an American, a Brazilian, and an Indian, along with five others.

An extensive search effort has been launched with 140 personnel, comprising police, military, local agencies, and residents. They are scouring a 27-square-kilometre stretch of forest in Mantewe, located in the Tanahbumbu district.

The operation is bolstered by two additional helicopters conducting aerial sweeps of the region, according to I Putu Sudayana, head of the Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Agency.

“Hopefully, with everyone's prayers, today's operation will be successful and we will be able to find the location of the incident,” stated Sudayana. (AP) GRS GRS

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