This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/18/world/asia/indonesia-says-crash-site-of-missing-plane-found-in-papua-province.html

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Rescue Teams Reach Site of Plane Crash in Indonesian Jungle Indonesians Find Plane and 54 Bodies Days After Crash
(about 1 hour later)
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesian rescue teams on Tuesday reached the crash site of a commercial aircraft that went down over the weekend in the remote eastern region of Papua, killing all 54 aboard, officials said. JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesian rescue teams on Tuesday reached the crash site of a commercial aircraft that went down over the weekend in the remote eastern part of the country, killing all 54 aboard, officials said.
“The teams have succeeded in getting to the location by foot,” Henry Bambang Soelistyo, head of the search and rescue agency, told reporters at a command center at Sentani Airport in Jayapura, the capital of Papua Province. All 54 bodies were found, said Tatang Kurniadi, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Committee.
Henry Bambang Soelistyo, head of the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency, told reporters at a command center at Sentani Airport in Jayapura, “The teams have succeeded in getting to the location by foot.” Jayapura is the capital of Papua Province.
“Right now, they are preparing equipment for the evacuation process and also building a helipad,” Mr. Soelistyo added.“Right now, they are preparing equipment for the evacuation process and also building a helipad,” Mr. Soelistyo added.
An Indonesian spotter plane had located and photographed debris from the flight on Monday, but the search for the Trigana Air Service plane, which vanished Sunday in stormy weather, was then halted because of darkness.An Indonesian spotter plane had located and photographed debris from the flight on Monday, but the search for the Trigana Air Service plane, which vanished Sunday in stormy weather, was then halted because of darkness.
The photographs, which the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency made public Monday at a news conference, showed debris in a heavily forested area of the Bintang Mountains district in Papua Province, said Heronimus Guru, the agency’s deputy director of operations. The photographs, which the agency made public Monday at a news conference, showed debris in a heavily forested area of Papua’s Bintang Mountains.
He said that search and rescue workers had to camp in the jungle on Monday night. Heronimus Guru, the agency’s deputy director of operations, described the crash site as extremely hard to reach. “Even local people have never been to this location,” he said.
The civilian rescue team, supported by the Indonesian military, was battling through mountainous jungle to reach the site, said Zainul Thahar, a spokesman for the search agency. According to the search agency, two civilian rescue teams, supported by the Indonesian military, battled through mountainous jungle and camped in the jungle on Monday night.
The missing short-haul airliner left Jayapura, the capital of Papua Province, on Sunday afternoon bound for Oksibil, about 170 miles to the south. The plane lost contact with air traffic controllers about 30 minutes after takeoff, said Toha, a spokesman at the command center of the National Search and Rescue Agency in Jakarta, the Indonesian capital. The short-haul airliner left Jayapura on Sunday afternoon for Oksibil, about 170 miles to the south. The plane lost contact with air traffic controllers about 30 minutes after takeoff, said Toha, a spokesman at the command center of the National Search and Rescue Agency in Jakarta, the Indonesian capital.
The plane was carrying 49 passengers, including two children and three babies, along with five crew members from Trigana, said Mr. Toha, who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name.The plane was carrying 49 passengers, including two children and three babies, along with five crew members from Trigana, said Mr. Toha, who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name.
Four postal workers aboard the plane were escorting four bags containing $468,750 in government cash that was to be distributed to poor families to offset a rise in fuel prices, The Associated Press reported. The money was from the Indonesian Social Affairs Ministry, Franciscus Haryono, the head of the post office in Jayapura, told The A.P.Four postal workers aboard the plane were escorting four bags containing $468,750 in government cash that was to be distributed to poor families to offset a rise in fuel prices, The Associated Press reported. The money was from the Indonesian Social Affairs Ministry, Franciscus Haryono, the head of the post office in Jayapura, told The A.P.
Indonesia has had many commercial and military aircraft disasters in recent years, including two deadly crashes in the past eight months, raising questions about the safety of the industry.Indonesia has had many commercial and military aircraft disasters in recent years, including two deadly crashes in the past eight months, raising questions about the safety of the industry.
On Dec. 28, an AirAsia flight from Surabaya, the capital of East Java Province, crashed en route to Singapore, killing all 162 people aboard. On June 30, an Indonesian military C-130 transport plane crashed shortly after takeoff in the northern city of Medan, on Sumatra Island, killing all 122 people aboard and at least 21 people on the ground.On Dec. 28, an AirAsia flight from Surabaya, the capital of East Java Province, crashed en route to Singapore, killing all 162 people aboard. On June 30, an Indonesian military C-130 transport plane crashed shortly after takeoff in the northern city of Medan, on Sumatra Island, killing all 122 people aboard and at least 21 people on the ground.
No-frills, regional commercial airlines like Trigana are among the only ways that residents of the region, which encompasses Papua and West Papua Provinces, can travel by air. No-frills, regional commercial airlines like Trigana are among the only ways that residents of the region, which encompasses Papua and West Papua Provinces, can travel by air. Trigana has had three fatal episodes since it began operations in 1991, according to the Aviation Safety Network, an online database.
Trigana has had three fatal episodes since it began operations in 1991, including a crash in 2006, also in Papua Province, that killed all 12 passengers and crew, according to the Aviation Safety Network, an online database.