Jakarta – A police helicopter carrying five passengers and three crew members crashed in the jungles of Jambi on Sunday, an accident that the National Police blamed on bad weather.
Currently, the police are conducting a massive operation to rescue passengers and crew, who include Jambi Police chief Insp. Gen. Rusdi Hartono.
National Police spokesperson Insp. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo said all passengers and crew survived the crash and cellular phone videos show that all survivors had received a first aid kit and food dropped by search and rescue personnel.
Police declined to characterize the incident as a crash and maintained that the pilot of the helicopter had to make an emergency landing due to bad weather.
"Yes, the crash site has been located and aid has been received by members of the police chief entourage," Dedi said, referring to Rusdi and other police personnel and crew on board the Bell 412 SP helicopter.
Dedi said the terrain around the crash site was too difficult for members of the rescue team to reach and that a first aid kit and food supply had to be airdropped to the crash site.
The police spokesperson said some members of the rescue operation could soon reach the crash site."Nine members of the rescue team are now approaching the site. They have another 2 kilometers to trek," Dedi was quoted by Tempo as saying.