TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Bell 412 EP helicopter belonging to the Indonesian Army (TNI-AD) has lost contact with control tower on Thursday after departing from Juwata Tarakan Airport for Long Bawan in Malinau, North Kalimantan. The copper lost contact with control tower having flown for 30 minutes.
“The SAR team will conduct search tomorrow [Friday],” TNI Information Center chief Brig. Gen. Wuryanto said in a phone interview on Thursday, November 24, 2016.
Wuryanto said the chopper took off from Tarakan at 10:54 am local time. At 10:57 am, it made the last contact with Tarakan Tower and instructed to contact Malinau Tower.
The first contact with Malinau Tower was made at 11:16 am. However, contact was lost after 11:29 am. Based on latest report, the chopper was at 8 nautical mile (roughly 15km) off Malinau, at an altitude of 2,500 feet (762m).
According to Wuryanto, the chopper carried five men inclusive of Pilot First Lieutenant Yohanes Syahputera. They planned to distribute logistics to border areas (pamtas). The chopper was scheduled to arrive at Long Bawan, Malinau, at 11:50 local time.
Wuryanto said search and evacuation efforts would be continued Friday morning.
Bell 412 is a multipurpose chopper manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron, helicopter manufacturer based in Forth Worth, Texas, the United States. The copper can carry 13 passengers or 2,040kg cargo.
VINDRY FLORENTIN
