Kuala Pembuang, Central Kalima (ANTARA) -
An Indonesian Army helicopter crashed while carrying out forest firefighting mission near Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan, with two of its crews confirmed dead.
Commander at XXII/Tambun Bungai Military District, Major General Zainul Arifin, on Wednesday evening (Nov 4) confirmed the MI-17V5 helicopter crashed while preparing for water bombing near the national park.
"There were eight crews. Five have received medical care and another two were confirmed dead," Arifin said after visiting the crash victims treated at Kuala Pembuang Regional General Hospital in Seruyan District along with Central Kalimantan Governor Agustiar Sabran.
Arifin confirmed another crew remains missing and a search operation has been organized for the missing crew.
Meanwhile, Governor Sabran expressed his condolences over the crash. He also expressed hope the injured crews will recover and the missing crew will be found soon.
During their travel from Palangka Raya to the Seruyan District by air, they were shown the crash site, which already located within Seruyan, before continuing the flight to the hospital.
The MI-17V5 helicopter, bearing registration number HA-5235, crashed in Sungai Perlu Village, Seruyan District, while preparing to conduct a water-bombing mission near Telaga Pulang area.
The helicopter was operating a round-trip flight between Kuala Pembuang and Telaga Pulang.
Central Kalimantan Police Public Relations Unit Head Senior Commissioner Budi Rachmat said the helicopter departed from Kuala Pembuang at 9:55 a.m. local time on Wednesday before experiencing technical problems mid-flight.
"The helicopter experienced technical problems while collecting water for the forest firefighting operation and crashed in Sungai Perlu Village," Rachmat said, adding that the first victims were successfully evacuated from the crash site at 12:30 p.m.
The eight crews were identified as Major Dudi, Captain Febri, Captain Suganda, First Lieutenant Hafiz, First Lieutenant Fercis, Chief Sergeant Kadiya, Second Sergeant Sardi, and Private First Class Gilang.