September 14, 2025 | 09:47 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's National Police Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team has completed the identification process of all the bodies of the BK117 D3 helicopter crash victims in the forest area of Desa Emil Baru, Mentewe, Tanah Bumbu Regency, South Kalimantan.
The Head of the Medical and Health Division (Dokkes) of the South Kalimantan Regional Police, Commissioner General Muhammad El Yandiko, stated that the identification process for the eight helicopter crash victims took place over nine days, starting from Friday, September 5 and concluded on Saturday, September 13, 2025.
"All the bodies of the victims have been identified, the last two bodies were identified through DNA testing," he said as quoted from Antara on Saturday, September 13, 2025.
During the identification process, the DVI team revealed the identities of the eight victims gradually. Three foreign nationals' bodies were identified on Saturday, September 6, 2025.
Then, three Indonesian citizens' bodies were identified on Sunday, September 7, 2025, and the last two Indonesian citizens' bodies were identified today through DNA testing because their conditions were difficult to recognize.
Yandiko ensured that the entire identification process of the eight helicopter crash victims was carried out carefully and meticulously by matching valid data, ranging from fingerprints, teeth, medical records, properties, to DNA tests as the final step for bodies that were severely damaged due to burns.
"The identification process is very meticulous, we must not hand over the bodies with doubts, we must be certain that the bodies match the identities to be returned to their respective families," said Yandiko.
With the revelation of all the identities of the helicopter crash victims, the National Police DVI Team has closed the Disaster Victim Identification Operation of the BK117 D3 helicopter crash today since it began operating on Friday, September 5, 2025.
The eight helicopter crash victims consist of a pilot named Captain Haryanto Tahir from Batam City, Riau Islands, and a technician named Hendra Darmawan from Luwu Regency, South Sulawesi.
Furthermore, six passengers, namely Mark Werren (Australia), Santha Kumar Prabhakaran (India), Claudine Pereira Quito (Brazil), Iboy Irfan Rosa (Kuantan Singingi, Riau), Yudi Febrian Rahman (Pekanbaru, Riau), and Andys Rissa Pasulu (Balikpapan, East Kalimantan).
The Joint Search and Rescue (SAR) team found the helicopter wreckage at coordinates 03 5'6" S - 115 37'39.07" E, in the forest area near Desa Emil Baru, Mentewe District, Tanah Bumbu Regency, South Kalimantan, on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, around 14:45 WITA (Central Indonesian Time).
The helicopter was reported lost contact on Monday, September 1, 2025, around 08:54 WITA. The helicopter was found about 700 meters from the previously given coordinates by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT).
The joint SAR team successfully evacuated all the bodies of the victims on Thursday night, September 4, 2025, around 21:50 WITA.
Editor's Choice: Helicopter with 8 People Missing in South Kalimantan Forest
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