Central Kalimantan helicopter crash death toll rises to three

Palangka Raya, Central Kaliman (ANTARA) - The death toll from an Indonesian Army helicopter crash in Central Kalimantan has risen to three after rescuers recovered the last victim from the crash site on Friday.

"The last victim, identified as Second Sergeant Heri, has been evacuated from the wreckage of the MI-17 helicopter," Central Kalimantan Police Public Relations Unit Head Senior Commissioner Budi Rachmat said in Seruyan District on Friday.

He explained that a joint rescue team began the search at 8 a.m. local time and found the victim at 9:15 a.m. inside the wreckage submerged in the waters off Sungai Perlu Village, Seruyan District.

Second Sergeant Heri was the last of the eight personnel aboard the helicopter to be evacuated from the crash site. The bodies of the other two victims who died in the crash had been recovered on Wednesday (November 4), shortly after the incident. Heri had previously been reported missing.

Meanwhile, the five surviving crew members have received medical treatment at Kuala Pembuang Regional General Hospital in Seruyan District.

"The last victim was also transported to Kuala Pembuang by helicopter," Rachmat added.

He said weather conditions at the crash site were favorable during the search operation, while low tide helped rescuers recover the last victim.

"We express our gratitude to all members of the joint rescue team who worked together in the search operation to find the last victim," he said.

The MI-17 helicopter, bearing registration number HA-5235, crashed in Sungai Perlu Village, Seruyan District, while preparing to conduct a water-bombing mission near the Telaga Pulang area amid a forest fire near Tanjung Puting National Park on Wednesday.

The helicopter was operating a round-trip flight between Kuala Pembuang and Telaga Pulang.

Earlier on Wednesday, Rachmat said the helicopter had departed from Kuala Pembuang at 9:55 a.m. local time 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 evacuated from the crash site at 12:30 p.m.

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Translator: M Arif Hidayat/Rajib R, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Primayanti
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