An Indonesia Air Transport ATR 42-500 turboprop aircraft, registered PK-THT, lost contact with air traffic control on Saturday, January 17, 2026, while on a scheduled marine patrol flight. The plane, departing from Yogyakarta's Adi Sucipto Airport and bound for Makassar's Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in South Sulawesi, was carrying 11 people: eight crew members and three passengers from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries. The aircraft reportedly vanished from radar around 1:17 p.m. local time (0517 GMT) as it approached a mountainous region in the Leang-Leang area of Maros, South Sulawesi province. The Transportation Ministry suspects the aircraft may have crashed during a low-altitude approach to Makassar, possibly due to deviating from its designated path in the challenging karst mountain terrain. Air traffic control had issued corrective instructions to guide the aircraft back onto the proper landing trajectory before communication ceased. Immediately following the loss of contact, Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) launched extensive search and rescue operations. These efforts involve multiple ground teams, air force helicopters, and drones, focusing on the suspected crash site. Hopes for locating the wreckage were bolstered by reports from hikers on Mount Bulusaraung, who claimed to have found scattered debris and small fires consistent with the aircraft's markings, which authorities are actively verifying. The incident highlights the inherent risks of aviation in Indonesia's vast archipelago, a country that relies heavily on air transport to connect its numerous islands and has experienced several transportation accidents in recent years. This developing story is being closely monitored by local and international news outlets.