JAKARTA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- All bodies of the victims from the fatal crash of an Indonesia Air Transport ATR 42-500 aircraft have been recovered following a seven-day search and rescue operation in the rugged slopes of Mount Bulusaraung, South Sulawesi province, Indonesian authorities confirmed on Friday.
The recovery of the 10th and final victim marked the conclusion of efforts to locate those on board the aircraft, which had gone missing earlier this month.
The ATR 42-500, registered PK-THT, crashed on Jan. 17 while en route to Makassar with 10 people on board, comprising seven crew members and three passengers who were conducting a surveillance mission, according to official reports.
Colonel Dody Triyo Hadi, an officer of the Indonesian army involved in the joint search and rescue operation, announced that the final body was found at 08:59 a.m. local time at the joint Search and Rescue (SAR) Command Post.
"The 10th victim has been found by the Eagle Team together with the joint SAR forces," he said. "With this discovery, all victims and critical items from the aircraft have been located."
He did not provide further details regarding the condition of the victim or the exact location of the recovery.
During the week-long operation, SAR teams recovered bodies in varying conditions and transported them for forensic identification. Two victims were identified earlier, while the remaining remains are being identified through medical examinations.
Indonesian authorities have expressed condolences to the families of the victims and pledged continued support for the identification process and the ongoing investigation into the cause of the crash. ■