REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MEDAN -- A helicopter belonging to PT Penerbangan Angkasa Semesta airline lost contact en route from Samosir to Kualanamu airport in North Sumatra at 11.33 local time on Sunday, an official stated.
The public relations officer of the Kualanamu airport Wisnu Budi Setianto said here on Sunday night that the ill-fated helicopter flew from Siparmahan or west coast of Lake Toba crossing Pematangsiantar towards Kualanamu airport.
The chopper which was piloted by Teguh Mulyatno was scheduled to arrived at the Kualanamu airport at 12.23 p.m. Western Indonesia Standard Time (WIB).
But the helicopter with five persons on board lost contact before arriving at the Kualanamu airport, he stated.
"Even the pilot has yet contacted the Kualanamu," he explained.
According to Setianto, his side made coordination with the Kualanamu airport authority and Search and Rescue (SAR) team in a bid to track down the missing copter.
In addition, personnel of the local police precinct have also track down the copter.
Apart from that, on Friday (Oct 2), a Twin Otter aircraft belonging to Aviastar airline lost contact en route from Masamba to Makassar, South Sulawesi, at 2:36 p.m. Central Indonesia Time (WITA), on Friday, an official stated.
"An Aviastar aircraft, bearing registration number DHC6/PKBRM, went missing," Julius Andravida Barata, a spokesman of the Transportation Ministry, stated while confirming about the incident.
The ill-fated aircraft went missing during its flight from Masamba at 2:29 p.m. local time and was scheduled to arrive at the Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar, South Sulawesi, at 3:39 p.m. local time.