Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. A joint search and rescue (SAR) team has recovered the suspected black box of an ATR 42-500 aircraft operated by Indonesia Air Transport (IAT) in the Bulusaraung mountain range, Pangkep Regency, South Sulawesi, on Wednesday (21/1/2026).

“The suspected black box was found at around 11 am local time near the aircraft’s tail section,” said Colonel Dody Triyo Hadi, theAssistant for Operations at the Hasanuddin Military command, as reported by antaranews.com.

The device was located during a targeted operation by a special SAR unit deployed to access the aircraft’s tail, which had been identified a day earlier but was unreachable due to extreme terrain and weather conditions. After being detached, the black box was evacuated to the SAR command post in Tompobulu Village.

Authorities stressed that the item will be formally verified by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT). The discovery is expected to support the ongoing investigation into the ATR crash, as SAR operations and coordination among agencies continue in the area.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)