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Eight people have been confirmed dead after a helicopter crashed in Indonesia's West Kalimantan province, rescuers said on Thursday, following the discovery of wreckage in a remote forested area, according to the reports Xinhua news agency and Indonesian National Police.
According to Xinhua, the helicopter went missing before debris was located earlier on Thursday. Rescue official Lieutenant Colonel Nurrachman Gindha Dradhizya said recovery efforts were underway at the crash site. "Four bodies have been successfully evacuated and placed in body bags, while three others remain inside the helicopter wreckage," he said. According to Xinhua, the search for the final victim was ongoing. The helicopter, according to the official website of the Indonesian National Police, was identified as a PT Matthew Air Airbus H-130 (PK-CFX). As reported by Xinhua, citing the flight manifest, the helicopter was carrying eight people. According to Xinhua, authorities said evacuation efforts were temporarily suspended due to darkness and difficult terrain, with operations set to resume on Friday morning. Dradhizya added, "We will continue tomorrow morning, including efforts to cut through the helicopter wreckage to retrieve the bodies still inside." Earlier, the Indonesian National Police said joint rescue teams had shifted into an active evacuation phase after locating the wreckage in the dense forests of Sekadau. An Indonesian Air Force Super Puma helicopter first spotted debris (believed to be part of the aircraft's tail) at around 3:25 p.m. local time on Thursday, approximately three kilometres from the last known contact point. Edy Prakoso, the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Deputy for Operations and Preparedness, said, "Aerial monitoring has pinpointed the likely location. We have relayed these coordinates to ground units to facilitate the recovery mission." Ground teams, supported by residents, are navigating challenging terrain and unpredictable weather conditions to reach the crash site. Residents had earlier reported hearing an explosion in the Bukit Puntak area. Authorities had also stationed ambulances in nearby Hulu Peniti village to support the recovery operation as efforts continued. (ANI)
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