A 3062 rescue helicopter belonging to the National Search and Rescue Agency that crashed into Mount Butak, Canggal village, Temanggung regency, Central Java, Monday (3/7). An investigative team from the agency is examining the site of the accident.
TEMANGGUNG, KOMPAS — Evacuation of the debris of a National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) helicopter that crashed in the village of Canggal, Candiroto district, Temanggung regency, Central Java, Monday (3/7) afternoon has been temporarily stopped. Basarnas will resume evacuation of the helicopter debris after the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) has finished conducting an investigation of the incident.
Basarnas director of operations and training Brig. Gen. TNI Ivan Ahmad Rizki Titus said at the location of the accident that the agency would prioritize the need for an investigation into the definite cause of the helicopter crash. ”The debris of the helicopter will only be evacuated after the investigation team has finished its task in the area where the helicopter crashed,” Ivan said.
Basarnas had planned to conduct an independent investigation earlier. However, at around 1:00 p.m., two KNKT members led by Ony Suryo Wibowo arrived at the evacuation post. At around 1:30 p.m., the KNKT, accompanied by Basarnas head of communication equipment operations, Agus Tamim, moved towards the location of the helicopter debris.
The bodies of the eight people killed in the crash were recovered on Monday (3/7) at around 2:00 p.m. Four of the victims were identified as Basarnas Semarang officers Maulana Affandi, 26, Nyoto Purwanto, 36, Budi Restiyanto, 42, and Catur Bambang Sulistyo, 30. The four other victims were helicopter crew members Capt. Haryanto, Capt. Li Solihin, Master Sgt. MPU Hari Marsono and 1st Lt. Asst. LPU Budi Santoso.
It was previously reported that another helicopter crewman by the name of KLD Yoga Febrianto was also among the victims of the accident. However, Basarnas has confirmed that Yoga had disembarked from the helicopter at Ahmad Yani Semarang Air Base before it resumed its flight towards Kawah Sileri in Kepakisan village, Banjarnegara regency.
Basarnas head Air Vice Marshal Muhammad Syaugi stressed that the helicopter was in airworthy condition and all the crewmen were fit and healthy. Before taking off from Ahmad Yani Semarang, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) had reported that the weather was good. However, when the helicopter reached the area of its accident, a sudden thick fog started to descend, and the helicopter crashed into a cliff at a height of 7,000 feet (2,100 meters).
He said that the helicopter’s flight was being monitored by the Basarnas Command Center (BCC) and at 4:14 p.m., it was detected to have dropped below minimum altitude. Three minutes later, at 4:17 p.m., a signal sent from the Emergency Locator Transmitter indicated that the helicopter had suffered a collision.
The family of the victims will be compensated for an amount and form that have not yet been confirmed. It is likely that the compensation will be provided by a number of related institutions, such as the Indonesian Military and the National Police.
