Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta.  The search for the Base Transceiver Station (BTS) BAKTI ship that went missing in Papua has been officially concluded as of Saturday (27/7/2024), announced Director of Operations for the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas)  Edy Prakoso, 

The decision was made after extensive efforts by joint teams from the Timika SAR Office, the Indonesian Military (TNI), and the Indonesian National Police (Polri) yielded no results, according to antaranews.com.

The search operation, which began on 19 July 2024, lasted for seven days, with various assets including the KRI Teluk Lada 521 naval ship, Super Puma helicopters, and a Boeing 737-200 reconnaissance aircraft deployed to cover areas from Timika to Yahukimo and even extended to Dobo and Asmat in southern Papua.

Edy noted that if any new information or signs of the ship, LCT Citra XX, or its 12 crew members were to emerge, the SAR operation would resume. The vessel, which was transporting materials for BTS construction, went missing while en route from Timika to Lokpon, Yahukimo, Papua Pegunungan.

Despite thorough searches and efforts, the whereabouts of the ship and its crew—comprising Dedi Irawan, M. Arif Efendi, Haikal, Rusli, Agiera, Nimrot, Lukman Hakim, Samsudin, Asmoro, Suherman, Alhakim, and Captain Junaidi—remain unknown.

(mg/inp/pr/nm)