TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A joint search and rescue (SAR) team found the fuselage and tail of an ATR 42-500 aircraft belonging to Indonesia Air Transport (IAT) on the slopes of Mount Bulusaraung, South Sulawesi, on Sunday, January 18, 2026. The aircraft lost contact during its landing approach at Sultan Hasanuddin Airport, Makassar, on Saturday, January 17, 2026.
Andi Sultan, Head of Operations and Alertness for the Makassar National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), stated that the crews of SAR helicopters AI-7301 and H-2213 reported the large parts of the aircraft. "We can see it, we can see the fuselage and tail," he said in an official video statement received by Tempo on Sunday, January 18, 2026.
According to Andi, the airborne SAR team had been monitoring the aircraft since 6:47 a.m. WITA (Central Indonesian Time), with the AI-7301 helicopter taking off from Hasanuddin Air Force Base. The H-2213 helicopter followed at 7:07 a.m. WITA. The AI-7301 helicopter first reported indications of white aircraft debris above Bulusaraung Hill at 7:26 a.m. WITA (Central Indonesian Time). H-2213 moved to the location and reported the debris north of Bulusaraung Peak at around 7:35 a.m. WITA.
The discovery location is on the southern slope of the peak, with the fuselage of the aircraft to the north of Bulusaraung Peak. The ground search and rescue team is still preparing access to the location due to the steep terrain and foggy conditions that complicate evacuation.
The team is still calculating safety measures before descending the slope to avoid safety risks. The joint search and rescue team continues to coordinate with air and ground teams to ensure all aircraft parts and possible victims can be evacuated quickly. "It's quite steep, so we have to calculate safety first," said Andi.
Previously, when asked about videos and photos circulating on social media regarding alleged aircraft debris in the Bulusaraung Peak area, South Sulawesi, on Saturday, January 17, 2026, Andi also confirmed the suspicion. "Yes," he said.
In the circulating videos and photos, large, dark gray-black panels are visible, presumably part of the aircraft's interior floor or walls. One panel features a gold sticker reading "FWD" along with directional arrows. Several paper documents, including a sheet titled "Procedures – Normal Operation" from the IAT Flight Crew Operating Manual (FCOM) for the ATR, are also scattered and dirty.
Several residents and hikers appear in the videos examining the wreckage on rocky and gravelly terrain, shrouded in thick fog with limited visibility. Vegetation consisting of mountain grass and shrubs obscures parts of the area.
One video shows a sign reading "Puncak Bulusaraung 1,353 masl." Other photos show the Hexcel Composites – Fibrelam manufacturing label on the panel, with a part code, production date, and specifications indicating the component's origin, Duxford-Cambridge, England.
The honeycomb structure inside the panel is clearly visible, a characteristic of modern aircraft composite materials. One photo shows an embroidered Garuda Pancasila emblem, likely belonging to a passenger from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.
The aircraft was reportedly carrying 10 crew members and passengers, including three Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries employees.
Read: List of 10 Crew, Passengers on Missing ATR Aircraft in Indonesia
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