At least eight people have been confirmed dead after a helicopter crashed in a remote, forested area of West Kalimantan, Indonesian authorities said, as rescue teams continue to grapple with difficult terrain in efforts to recover bodies and wreckage.
According to Indonesia’s national search and rescue agency, the Airbus H130 lost contact on Thursday morning, just minutes after taking off from a plantation site in the Melawi region. The aircraft was operated by Matthew Air Nusantara.
Head of the rescue agency, Mohammad Syafii, said the helicopter went missing in a densely forested and mountainous area, making access to the crash site particularly challenging.
“The location of the crash is in a heavily forested area with steep and hilly terrain,” he said, adding that debris believed to be part of the helicopter’s tail section had been located about three kilometres from the last point of contact.
Authorities confirmed that all eight occupants on board—six passengers and two crew members—died in the crash. The identities of the victims have not yet been officially released, pending notification of their families.
Search and recovery operations have been slowed by the rugged landscape, with rescue teams, including military personnel, police, and emergency responders, forced to rely on land routes to reach the site. Limited accessibility and thick vegetation have further complicated efforts.
The helicopter had reportedly departed from a plantation owned by Citra Mahkota, though officials have yet to disclose the purpose of the flight.
Investigators are expected to begin a full probe into the cause of the crash once access to the wreckage is secured. Aviation authorities say factors such as weather conditions, mechanical failure, and human error will all be examined.
Indonesia, an archipelago made up of thousands of islands, relies heavily on air transport to connect remote and hard-to-reach areas. However, the country has faced ongoing aviation safety challenges, with several fatal incidents recorded in recent years.
In January, a turboprop aircraft chartered by the fisheries ministry crashed into a mountain in Sulawesi, killing all 10 people on board. In a separate incident in September last year, a helicopter crash in South Kalimantan claimed eight lives, while another crash in Ilaga shortly after left four people dead.
The latest tragedy is likely to renew concerns over aviation safety standards in the country, particularly in remote regions where difficult terrain and limited infrastructure can increase operational risks.
