Makassar. A joint search-and-rescue (SAR) team on Thursday recovered six more bodies from the crash site of an ATR 42-500 aircraft on Gunung Bulusaraung, as the operation entered its sixth day. 

The discovery was reported at 9:30 a.m. Central Indonesia Time by the Elang unit, according to Colonel Infantry Dody Priyo Hadi, assistant for operations at the Hasanuddin Military Command in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

“Six bodies have been found,” Dody said at the Advance Jump Unit (AJU) post in Tompo Bulu village, Balocci sub-district, Pangkep.

He said the bodies were found close to one another, within a radius of about 50 meters from the initial discovery point, and roughly 250 meters below the summit of Gunung Bulusaraung. However, he said authorities were still unable to confirm the condition of the remains.

“At this stage, we cannot yet determine whether the findings are intact bodies or body parts,” Dody said.

Search teams are continuing to comb other parts of the area to ensure no victims are missed. “The joint SAR team is still carrying out sweeps on other sides to make sure no victims are left behind,” he added.

All recovered bodies are planned to be evacuated using the jet ring technique. “The evacuation will be carried out by the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) teams who are already on standby from the mountain’s peak,” Dody said.

The Indonesia Air Transport aircraft disappeared from radar on Saturday afternoon while making its approach to Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar. Authorities later confirmed the turboprop had crashed in a remote mountainous zone near the boundary between Maros and Pangkep regencies.

Rescue teams have recovered the flight data and cockpit voice recorders,  commonly known as the black box, from the plane on Wednesday.

The ATR 42-500 was carrying 10 people, comprising seven crew members and three passengers. The passengers were identified as officials from the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry — Ferry Irawan, Deden Maulana, and Yoga Naufal. The crew on board included Captain Andi Dahananto, co-pilot Muhammad Farhan Gunawan, along with crew members Hariadi, Restu Adi, Dwi Murdiono, Florencia Lolita, and Esther Aprilita. The identities of Deden and Florencia have been confirmed.