Tanah Bumbu, S. Kalimantan. Search and rescue teams expand their efforts Wednesday to locate a missing helicopter carrying eight people that lost contact earlier this week in the forests of South Kalimantan.

Rescuers set up a third command post in Emil Baru village, Mentewe subdistrict, near the border between Tanah Bumbu and Banjar regencies. The new post, staffed by personnel from the military, police, disaster mitigation agency, and civilian volunteers, aims to extend ground searches deeper into the Meratus mountain range, where the aircraft is suspected to have gone down.

“We established Post 3 at Kilometer 81 in Emil Baru to broaden our search coverage,” said Arianto, head of operations and preparedness at the Banjarmasin SAR office. “Teams are already combing the forest area for any sign of the helicopter.”

Local residents reported hearing a loud explosion around Mount Mandin Damar, close to the suspected crash site near Mandin Damar Waterfall, shortly after the helicopter vanished on Monday morning.

The Estindo Air BK117 D3 helicopter lost contact at 8:54 a.m. local time, only minutes after taking off from Kotabaru’s Syamsir Alam Airport en route to Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan. The aircraft had been expected to arrive at 10:15 a.m.

On board were pilot Capt. Haryanto, engineer Hendra, and six passengers identified as Mark Werren, Yudi Febrian, Andys Rissa Pasulu, Santha Kumar, Claudine Quito, and Iboy Irfan Rosa.

Authorities declared a seven-day emergency search period beginning Monday, in line with standard SAR procedures. Despite intensive ground and air patrols, no debris or signals from the helicopter have yet been located.

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