A screen grab of a handout photograph released by Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) shows what is believed to be the site of Sunday's crash of the Trigana Air Service ATR 42-300 plane, in the heavily forested Bintang Mountains district, Papua province, Indonesia August 17, 2015. [Photo/Agencies] |
JAYAPURA, Indonesia - A Indonesian search official said here on Tuesday that all the bodies of the 54 aboard the crashed ATR42-300 Trigana Air Service plane have been found as of 11.00 am local time.
Henry Bambang Soelistyo, head of the National Search and Rescue Agency, or the Basarnas, said the bodies were found in Okbape district near the Oksibil city, the flight's scheduled destination.
The plane reportedly crashed on Sunday enroute from the Sentani airport of Jayapura for Oksibil.
Debris of the plane was spotted on Sunday. The plane was allegedly hit the slope of Mount Tangok located in Okbape district. 49 passengers were onboard of the ill-fated plane that was operated by 5 crews.
At a press conference held in the evacuation base earlier, Tatang Kurniadi, head of Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT), said the crashed ATR 42-300 plane was fit to fly on that day.
Officials said the operation has been changed from search to retrieve operation. 304 people from the Basarnas, military, police and volunteers were have been engaged in the mission.