Indonesian air accident investigation authority KNKT has opened an inquiry into the loss of an ATR 42-500 operating a domestic service between Java and South Sulawesi.
KNKT says it has sent a team to carry out an investigation into the 17 January accident.
The Indonesian ministry of maritime affairs states that the Indonesia Air Transport aircraft lost contact in the Maros Regency area of South Sulawesi on 17 January.
It had been operating a service from Yogyakarta to Makassar. The ministry indicates three of its employees were among 10 occupants.
The country’s transport ministry says search and rescue efforts are the “current priority”, ensuring that all processes are “carried out professionally, co-ordinated, and in accordance with procedures”.
Indonesian news agency Antara reports that debris has been located on Mount Bulusaraung, around 15nm northeast of Makassar’s Sultan Hasanuddin airport.
It cites a transport ministry official as stating that Makassar air traffic control had realised that the aircraft was not on the correct approach path to the assigned runway 21, and informed the crew.
But after controllers issued instructions to vector the aircraft to the correct flightpath, the official says, contact was lost.
Indonesian civil aviation regulator DGCA identifies the aircraft involved as PK-THT – an ex-Air Dolomiti airframe.
It says it is co-ordinating “intensively” with the Makassar airport authority, national search and rescue agency Basarnas, the Indonesian air force and other agencies to “ensure optimal response”.
ATR states that its specialists are “fully engaged” to support the operator and the Indonesian-led investigation.
