September 11, 2011
Officials say a rescue helicopter has crashed while on a mission to find two missing foreign pilots whose plane went down in eastern Indonesia.
Military spokesman in Papua Lt. Col. Ali Bogra said the Bell 412 carrying five soldiers lost contact with authorities Saturday afternoon, about 20 minutes after it took off from the mining town of Timika. It was unclear if there were any survivors.
The helicopter crashed a day after a Cessna 208-B Caravan went missing with its Australian and Slovak pilots and four drums of fuel.
Rescuers have spotted the wreckage of the single engine aircraft, belonging to Susi Air, that crashed Friday in the mountains of Yahukimo district. Weather has prevented them from reaching the pilots, who are feared dead.
Associated Press
zo 11 sep 2011 - 4:53