Indonesian authorities have launched an extensive search operation after contact was lost with a turboprop aircraft carrying three government employees and seven crew members, officials said on Saturday.The Indonesia air transport plane had departed from Yogyakarta and was en route to Makassar in South Sulawesi when communication was lost shortly after 1 pm (local time), according to rescuers, reported AFP.Minister of marine affairs and fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono said three employees from his ministry were on board the aircraft, which was on a mission to conduct aerial monitoring of marine resources. The airline said there were seven crew members on board.Muhammad Arif Anwar, head of the local search and rescue agency, told the agency that teams had been deployed to a mountainous area in Maros Regency, which borders Makassar, near the plane’s last known location.The search effort involves ground teams as well as aerial assets, including a helicopter and drones, with support from the air force, police and local volunteers, officials said. Andi Sultan, operations chief at the Makassar search and rescue agency, said multiple agencies were coordinating the operation. Aircraft manufacturer ATR said it had been informed of “an accident” involving one of its planes. “ATR specialists are fully engaged to support both the investigation led by the Indonesian authorities and the operator,” the company said in a statement.Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, relies heavily on air travel to connect remote regions. The country has faced repeated aviation safety challenges in recent years, including fatal helicopter crashes in South Kalimantan and Papua in 2024.
