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🇸🇬 Singapore /Conflict & Security

Eight Killed in Helicopter Crash in Indonesia's West Kalimantan

From The Straits Times · (6d ago) English Critical tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • An Airbus H130 helicopter crashed in Indonesia's West Kalimantan province on April 16, killing all eight people on board.
  • The helicopter lost contact five minutes after takeoff from a plantation area.
  • Search teams are working to retrieve bodies and wreckage from the densely forested, hilly terrain where the crash occurred.

Tragedy struck Indonesia's West Kalimantan province as an Airbus H130 helicopter crashed, claiming the lives of all eight individuals aboard. The aircraft, operated by Matthew Air Nusantara, disappeared from radar just five minutes after departing from a plantation owned by PT Citra Mahkota.

Search and rescue teams, comprising military and police personnel, are facing challenging conditions as they navigate the dense forest and steep hills to reach the crash site. Debris suspected to be from the helicopter has been found approximately 3 kilometers west of the last known contact point, indicating the severity of the impact.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Authorities have confirmed that the six passengers and two crew members perished in the incident. The focus remains on recovering the victims and the aircraft wreckage to piece together the events leading up to this devastating loss.

The location of the crash or loss of contact is in a densely forested area with steep hilly terrain.

— Mohammad SyafiiThe head of Indonesia's rescue agency described the challenging terrain where the helicopter went down.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Straits Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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