Eight people killed in helicopter crash in Indonesia's West Kalimantan

Eight people killed in helicopter crash in Indonesia's West Kalimantan
Debris at the site of a helicopter crash, Indonesia, 16 April, 2026. Picture taken through a window. Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) via REUTERS
Reuters

Eight people have died after a helicopter crash in West Kalimantan province, Indonesia. Authorities said contact was lost five minutes after taking off from a plantation area in Melawi.

"The location of the crash or loss of contact is in a densely forested area with steep hilly terrain," Syafii said, saying rescuers had found debris suspected to be the tail of the Airbus H130 helicopter approximately 3 km (2 miles) west of where contact was lost.

A spokesperson from the local rescue agency said the six passengers and two crew members onboard had died.

The cause of the crash remains unclear.

Rescuers, including military and police personnel, were trying to reach the crash site via land routes on Friday.

The plantation area was owned by an Indonesian palm oil company, Citra Mahkota, and the helicopter belonged to Matthew Air Nusantara, Syafii said.

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