Indonesia Air Transport ATR 42-500 Crew Confirmed as Wreckage Found

ByUjjwal Sukhwani•January 19, 2026 at 01:31 AM•3 min read

SAFETY

Indonesia Air Transport ATR 42-500 Crew Confirmed as Wreckage Found

Indonesia Air Transport confirms seven crew members were aboard the missing ATR 42-500 flight from Yogyakarta to Makassar, whose wreckage was found in South Sulawesi.

Key Points

1Seven crew members and three passengers were confirmed aboard the Indonesia Air Transport ATR 42-500 flight, totaling ten occupants.
2The South Sulawesi aircraft wreckage was located on the slopes of Bulusaraung Peak on Sunday, January 18, 2026.
3The flight was chartered by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries for air surveillance missions of marine resources.
4Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) is leading the investigation into the loss of contact and subsequent crash.

The President Director of PT Indonesia Air Transport (IAT) has confirmed the final count of personnel aboard the missing ATR 42-500 aircraft crash.

Tri Adi Wibowo stated seven crew members were on the flight. This corrects earlier circulating reports of eight crew members. The turboprop aircraft was reported missing on Saturday, January 17, 2026, during its flight from Yogyakarta to Makassar.

AirNav Makassar reported losing contact at 01:17 p.m. local time. The aircraft wreckage was discovered the following day. It was located in the mountainous area of South Sulawesi aircraft wreckage. Specifically, the site is on the southern slope of Bulusaraung Peak.

Personnel and Mission Details

A total of ten people were aboard the flight. This included the seven confirmed crew members and three passengers.

The confirmed crew list includes Captain Andy Dahananto and Copilot Farhan Gunawan. Flight operation officer Hariadi was also on board. Engineers Restu Adi P and Dwi Murdiono were listed as well. Cabin crew members were Florencia Lolita and Esther Aprilita S.

The three passengers were staff from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP). Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono confirmed their presence. They were conducting air surveillance missions over Indonesian territorial waters. The KKP regularly charters IAT aircraft for these critical operations.

Investigation and Industry Context

The recovery and investigation effort is now underway. Teams from the Makassar search and rescue agency (Basarnas) are leading the search. They are joined by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) and the Ministry of Transportation.

Indonesia Air Transport officials have traveled to Makassar to assist. The rugged terrain of the Bulusaraung Peak crash site presents significant challenges to recovery.

The aircraft manufacturer, ATR, has also deployed specialists. They will support the official investigation led by the KNKT. The ATR 42-500 is a regional turboprop. It is widely used for flights across the Indonesian archipelago.

Indonesia's unique geography relies heavily on air transport. This is due to its vast network of islands. The country's aviation sector faces persistent challenges. Investigators will focus on the final phase of the flight. Initial reports suggest the aircraft deviated from its assigned approach path.

The seven crew members confirmed include two pilots and two cabin crew.
The aircraft was performing a non-traditional, chartered surveillance flight.
The investigation will focus on approach procedures and environmental factors.
The KNKT aims to determine the cause to improve commercial aviation safety Indonesia.

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