Basarnas calls off its search for Sukhoi victims, evidence

Almost there: Members of the National Police’s Disaster Victims Identification (DVI) team carry the remains of Sukhoi Superjet 100 crash victims into the National Police Hospital in Kramat Jati in East Jakarta. Police said that the crash victim identification process has been concluded and they would hand over the remains to relatives on Wednesday. JP/Jerry AdigunaThe National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) has ended its search and evacuation of victims at the site of the crash of the Sukhoi Superjet 100, which went down near Mount Salak in Bogor, West Java, on May 9.

“We found nothing significant recently even though we have added three extra days to scour a larger area around the crash site,” Basarnas chief Air Vice Marshal Daryatmo told reporters at Basarnas Cijeruk command post in Bogor, West Java, on Monday.

A Russian team has also ordered their personnel to leave Mt. Salak.

Under Indonesian regulations, the search-and-rescue process could have been halted seven days after the crash.

Daryatmo said that all personnel had been withdrawn from the crash site.

He said that the search was called off after the National Police’s Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) unit identified all 45 people on board the aircraft when it crashed.

The search for the aircraft’s flight-data recorder (FDR), also known as the black box, which is considered an essential piece of evidence for crash investigators, will be carried on by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT).

Last week, searchers retrieved part of the black box, believed to be the cockpit voice recorder (CVR).

“After this, we will coordinate with the local military command to continue operations to find the FDR,” KNKT investigator Choirudin said as quoted by Antara news agency.

Choirudin said that under international conventions the search for the FDR could only be concluded after 12 months.

Members of Basarnas retrieved the CVR near the crash site.

Another investigator with the KNKT, Oni Suryowibowo, said that experts have been working with available data.

The National Police announced on Sunday that all 45 people on board the Sukhoi Superjet 100, which crashed on May 9, had been identified.

The Russian-made aircraft crashed into the hills of Mt. Salak in West Java while on a demonstration flight.

The officials will hand over the victims’ remains to relatives during an official ceremony on Wednesday at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in East Jakarta.

On Tuesday, families of the crash victims will have a chance to see the remains of the Sukhoi passengers.

Members of the National Police’s DVI team confirmed that 31 of the victims were male and 14 were female.

Of the total victims, 35 were Indonesian citizens.