Jakarta: Indonesian authorities have discovered the wreckage of a fisheries patrol plane that vanished while flying near fog-enshrouded mountains. The search for the 11 individuals on board has been intensified as rescue teams work against challenging conditions.

According to Thai News Agency, the ATR 42-500 turboprop aircraft, used by Indonesia's Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries for surveillance, departed from Yogyakarta province headed for Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province. The aircraft lost contact with air traffic control around 1:30 p.m. local time on Saturday while traversing South Sulawesi airspace. Onboard were 8 crew members and 3 passengers, all of whom are ministry officials.

The South Sulawesi Provincial Rescue Office informed local television that wreckage was located scattered across Mount Bulusaraung. The rescue teams are focusing on locating and potentially evacuating the missing individuals. However, thick fog and the challenging mountainous landscape are significant hurdles in the search effort. The National Transportation Safety Board is set to lead the investigation into the cause of the incident, with experts noting that air traffic accidents in Indonesia frequently result from multiple contributing factors.

Flightradar24 indicated that the aircraft was flying at a low altitude over the ocean, complicating the tracking of its flight path. The aircraft's last signal was detected at 12:20 PM Indonesian time on Saturday, 20 kilometers northeast of Makassar Airport.