Eight people died when a helicopter crashed in a remote forested area of West Kalimantan province on Thursday, Indonesian authorities confirmed on Friday.
The Airbus H130 helicopter, operated by PT Matthew Air Nusantara, lost contact just five minutes after taking off from a palm oil plantation in Melawi district. It was en route to another plantation in Kubu Raya when the crash occurred in the densely forested and hilly terrain of Sekadau regency.
Rescue teams, including personnel from the National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS), military, and police, faced significant challenges reaching the site due to the difficult landscape.
Debris, believed to be from the helicopter’s tail, was found about three kilometres from the last known contact point. All eight people on board six passengers and two crew members were confirmed dead.
The identities of the victims have not been fully released, though officials noted that one was a Malaysian national.
The purpose of the flight from the Citra Mahkota plantation was not immediately disclosed.The cause of the crash remains unknown, and authorities have launched an investigation once access to the wreckage is fully secured.
Indonesia relies heavily on helicopters and small aircraft to connect its vast archipelago, but the country has a history of aviation incidents. Similar crashes occurred in recent years, including a helicopter accident in South Kalimantan in September last year that also killed eight people.
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