Jakarta (ANTARA) - Adverse weather remains the main obstacle in efforts to locate a helicopter missing over the forests of Mantewe, South Kalimantan, Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) said Tuesday.
Basarnas Director of Preparedness Noer Isrodin confirmed the agency is working with the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) to monitor conditions during the second day of operations.
"The search area is dense forest with limited communication, compounded by rapidly changing weather. Despite these conditions, we are doing our best to optimize the search," Isrodin said.
The helicopter, a BK117 operated by Eastindo Air, disappeared Monday with eight people on board, including foreign nationals.
Basarnas has deployed 430 personnel, supported by the military, police, disaster management agencies, and volunteers. The search combines ground patrols with aerial surveys, aided by thermal drones to detect body heat.
On Tuesday morning, an AW169 helicopter from the Central Kalimantan Police landed at Syamsudin Noor Airport after heavy rain grounded its search mission the previous day. Another helicopter from Balikpapan has been deployed to expand coverage.
Basarnas Deputy for Operations and Preparedness Edy Prakoso said coordination continues with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), ministries, and local governments.
"We are grateful for the support of all parties. Team solidarity is the key to the success of this humanitarian mission," he said, emphasizing the need to safeguard both the morale and safety of SAR personnel in the field.
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This news was published on Antaranews.com with a title: Weather hampers search for missing helicopter in Indonesia
