P

olice in Garut, West Java, confirmed Monday that they had discovered the remains of two Trike PK-S ultralight plane pilots who had gone missing over a mountainous terrace near Cisewu, Garut, 110 kilometers south of Bandung.

The pilots of the French-manufactured plane, PT Telkom employees Noto Cipto Nartomo and
Panji Gunawan, both of Bandung, were reported missing during a flight from Pangandaran to Sulaeman airfield in Margahayu, Bandung, on July 4.

A strong gust of wind during bad weather was believed to have brought the plane down, although another plane traveling the same route landed safely.

Prompt rescue efforts failed to locate the crash site until someone accidentally spotted the plane
wreckage.

Basman, an employee of the state-owned Perhutani forestry firm in Cisewu, found wing fragments scattered in a valley between Mount Karasak and Mount Sodong Abik 800 meters above sea level, Garut Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Amur Candra Juli said.

Basman found the wreckage along with scattered bones as he was walking with family members in the area at around 9:30 a.m. on Sunday.

“We did not immediately announce the discovery for fear of being mistaken, so we sent a wallet found in the area to Noto’s wife to make sure it was her husband’s,” Amur said on Monday.

Struggling against rough terrain, a search and rescue team from the National Police, the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the Wanadri nature lovers club began evacuation efforts Sunday afternoon. It took the team seven hours to reach the site from the nearest command post in Cileunca, Sukajaya village.

Despite the discovery of human bones near the crash site, Sulaeman airfield commander Col. Gutomo, also chairman of the West Java-chapter Indonesian Aerosports Federation (FASI), said an autopsy would be performed.

The remains were to be brought to Hasan Sadikin General Hospital in Bandung before being handed over to their families.

“We are certain the remains are the pilots of the ill-fated Trike ultralight plane we have been searching for,” said Gutomo.

Noto’s relative, Dipo, confirmed the wallet was Noto’s when authorities from Perhutani came seeking verification on Sunday night.

Noto’s wife, Anna Handayani, had been in Garut for the past week to help monitor the search effort.

“We hope we can transport the remains by helicopter to accelerate the funeral process. The whole family has resigned to accept the tragedy,” said Dipo.