International Desk: Tragic news has emerged from Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province, where the wreckage of a missing private helicopter was discovered on Thursday in a remote and densely forested area. All eight people onboard have been confirmed dead.
Due to the difficult terrain, rescue teams are facing major challenges in recovering the bodies. Lieutenant Colonel Nurrachman Gindha Dradhizya, a rescue official, stated that four bodies have been successfully retrieved and placed in body bags, while three others remain trapped inside the wreckage. The search for the final victim is still ongoing, according to reports.
According to the official website of the Indonesian National Police, the helicopter has been identified as a PT Matthew Air Airbus H-130 (registration PK-CFX). Flight details confirmed that eight people were onboard at the time of the crash.
Authorities also stated that rescue operations were temporarily halted due to darkness and the challenging terrain, and are set to resume the following day. Dradhizya added, “We will continue rescue efforts tomorrow morning, including cutting through the helicopter wreckage to retrieve the bodies trapped inside.”
Earlier, the Indonesian National Police had confirmed that a joint rescue team was actively engaged in evacuation efforts after the wreckage was located in the dense forests of Sekadau.
An Indonesian Air Force Super Puma helicopter first spotted debris—believed to be part of the aircraft’s tail—approximately three kilometers from the last known contact point at around 3:25 PM local time on Thursday.
Edi Prakoso, Deputy for Operations and Preparedness at the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), said, “Aerial surveillance has identified the possible location. We have shared the coordinates with ground units to assist in the rescue operation.”
Ground teams, supported by local residents, are struggling to reach the crash site due to difficult terrain and unpredictable weather conditions. Earlier, locals had reported hearing a loud explosion in the Bukit Puntak area. Authorities have also deployed ambulances in the nearby Hulu Peniti village to support ongoing rescue operations.
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