Sunday, September 25, 2011

Helicopter Missing in West Nusa Tenggara

Mataram. A helicopter belonging to chartered flight operator Airfast was reported missing in the island of Sumbawa in West Nusa Tenggara on Sunday.

Officials said that the last contact with the helicopter was made at 1:39 p.m. The chopper departed from Dodo village in the subdistrict of Ropang and headed to nearby Lemarung village. Areas near both villages have recently undergone exploration by miner Newmont Nusa Tenggara.

“The chopper went missing 26 minutes after takeoff,” said Budisma, head of the province’s chapter of the National Search and Rescue Agency. Two people were on board the helicopter, pilot Agus Hairudin and passenger Ari Palimpung.

Based on the helicopter’s last known coordinates Budisma suspected that it crashed somewhere in the vicinity of Dodo mountain, dropping from an altitude of 3,770 feet.

“Search and rescue officials have been deployed to the suspected site along with members of the local community,” he said.

Newmont spokeswoman Idayani confirmed that the company had chartered the helicopter but added that both crew members were from the flight company and not its employees.

The Jakarta-based air carrier specializes in contract operations, charter passenger flights, cargo services and aerial photography for the oil and mining industries in the country.

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com

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