Indonesia helicopter crash kills all eight on board

WEB DESK: Eight people have died after an Airbus H130 helicopter crashed in Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province, local authorities confirmed on Friday.

The aircraft, which was carrying six passengers alongside a pilot and a co-pilot, came down on Thursday in the Sekadau regency, according to Anadolu Agency.

The flight had departed from Melawi regency at 07:34 local time (00:34 GMT) and was reported missing after losing contact with air traffic controllers approximately an hour later at 08:39.

Recovery efforts hampered by terrain

A spokesperson for the Sekadau police told the Jakarta Globe that there were no survivors, stating: “All victims have been confirmed dead.”

Although rescue teams managed to reach the remote crash site later on Thursday, the operation to recover the bodies was significantly delayed.

Officials noted that the evacuation process was severely hindered by the region’s treacherous, densely forested terrain and poor visibility caused by inclement weather.

Investigations into the cause of the disaster are expected to begin once the victims have been fully recovered from the site.