Jan 17, 2026, 3:36 p.mJan 17, 2026, 3:36 p.m
Image: flightradar24
A plane with eleven people on board goes missing in Indonesia. The plane lost contact with air traffic control while approaching Makassar, authorities said. The city is located on the island of Sulawesi in the east of the country and is a regional hub.
Search teams combed a difficult-to-access hilly area in South Sulawesi on Saturday. The search focused on the limestone mountains of Bantimurung, with steep terrain, dense vegetation and correspondingly limited access.
Loss of contact during landing approach
According to the Ministry of Transport, it was an ATR 42-500 propeller plane belonging to Indonesia Air Transport, which was traveling from Yogyakarta on the island of Java to Makassar. In the final phase of the flight, air traffic controllers discovered that the aircraft deviated from the planned approach course. They gave the pilot corrective instructions, but then contact abruptly broke off, they said in a statement. There were eight crew members and three passengers on board, the national search and rescue agency said.
Improvements in aviation safety
Indonesia Air Transport is a domestic airline that offers charter and cargo services in addition to passenger flights. ATR aircraft are widespread in Indonesia with its more than 17,000 islands. (sda/dpa)