A major search and rescue operation is in full swing in Indonesia after a regional passenger aircraft carrying eleven people lost contact with air traffic control on Saturday, 17 January 2026.
Flight Details and Disappearance
The turboprop ATR 42-500, operated by Indonesia Air Transport, was flying between Yogyakarta on Java and Sulawesi island when it vanished. According to Transportation Ministry spokesperson Endah Purnama Sari, the plane was last tracked on radar at 1.17pm local time (05:17 GMT) over the mountainous Leang-Leang area in Maros, South Sulawesi.
Sari stated that the aircraft disappeared shortly after controllers instructed it to correct its approach alignment to Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport. "After the last ATC instructions, radio contact was lost and controllers declared the emergency distress phase," she explained.
Intensive Search Efforts Underway
Multiple search and rescue teams, supported by air force helicopters, drones, and ground units, have been deployed to the rugged terrain. The operation is focused on the steep mountains of Bulusaraung National Park, which links the Maros and Pangkep districts.
Major General Bangun Nawoko, the Hasanuddin military commander for South Sulawesi, confirmed the challenging conditions, noting the difficult landscape is complicating access for rescue personnel.
Possible Wreckage Located by Hikers
A potential breakthrough came when hikers on Mount Bulusaraung reported finding scattered debris and small fires still burning at the scene. The hikers also noted a logo consistent with the markings of Indonesia Air Transport.
"The sightings were reported to authorities and are being verified by rescue teams attempting to reach the area," said Maj. Gen. Nawoko. The reports have intensified efforts to locate the aircraft, which was carrying eight crew members and three passengers from Indonesia's Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry.
Weather conditions at the time of the disappearance were reported as cloudy with approximately 8km visibility. The search for the missing plane and its eleven occupants continues.
