An ATR 42-500 operated by Indonesia Air Transport lost contact while flying from Yogyakarta to Makassar, with search teams focusing on the rugged Leang-Leang area of Maros Regency.
MAKASSAR, Indonesia — An ATR 42-500 aircraft carrying 11 people lost contact with air traffic control on Saturday, January 17, 2026, while on a flight from Yogyakarta to Makassar in South Sulawesi. The aircraft, operated by Indonesia Air Transport (IAT) and reportedly leased by the national Port Health Office (Kantor Kesehatan Pelabuhan/KKP), triggered an immediate large-scale search and rescue operation.
According to officials from the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) in Makassar, contact with the twin-engine turboprop was lost around 1:17 PM local time. The last known position was in the Leang-Leang area within Maros Regency, a region known for its karst limestone mountains and part of the Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park.
Details of the Flight and Those On Board
The manifest listed eight crew members and three passengers. The crew comprised Captain Andy Dahananto, First Officer Yudha Mahardika, along with additional flight and cabin crew members Sukardi, Hariadi, Franky D Tanamal, Junaidi, Florencia Lolita, and Esther Aprilita Sogiyarto. The three passengers were identified as Deden, Ferry, and Yoga. The aircraft was scheduled to land at Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar on Saturday afternoon.
Search and Rescue Efforts Mobilized
Basarnas has deployed 25 personnel to the last known coordinates, establishing a joint SAR command post in the Bantimurung area. Given the challenging, mountainous terrain, authorities have requested assistance from the Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) to deploy a Caracal helicopter. The helicopter is intended to conduct aerial observation to help locate the aircraft and could be used for potential air evacuation.
“Besides that, the Caracal can also be used for evacuation by air,” said Muh Arif Anwar, Head of Basarnas Makassar.
As of Saturday, the joint SAR teams had not yet located the aircraft or any signs of survivors. The search operation continues to focus on the last plotted coordinates in the difficult topography of the national park.
The incident underscores the inherent challenges of aviation in Indonesia’s vast and often geographically complex archipelago, where search operations in remote or mountainous regions require significant coordination and resources.
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