Eight people have been confirmed dead following a helicopter crash in a remote forest area of West Kalimantan, Indonesia, as rescue teams struggle to access the site due to difficult terrain.
Indonesia’s search and rescue agency reported that the Airbus H130 helicopter lost communication shortly after takeoff on Thursday morning. The aircraft, operated by Matthew Air Nusantara, had departed from a plantation in Melawi and disappeared from radar about five minutes into the flight.
Rescue agency chief, Mohammad Syafii, explained that the aircraft went down in a densely forested region marked by steep and rugged hills, making access extremely challenging for emergency responders. Debris suspected to be part of the helicopter’s tail was later found approximately three kilometres from the last known location.
All eight individuals onboard—comprising six passengers and two crew members—were killed in the crash. Authorities have yet to release the identities of the victims.
Due to the inaccessible terrain, rescue teams, including military personnel and police, were forced to navigate by land, significantly delaying recovery operations.
While the helicopter had taken off from a plantation owned by Citra Mahkota, officials have not disclosed the purpose of the trip.
The cause of the crash remains unclear, with investigations expected to begin once officials gain full access to the wreckage.
Indonesia, made up of thousands of islands, relies heavily on air travel to link its remote regions. However, aviation accidents remain a concern, with several deadly incidents recorded in recent years, including a turboprop crash in Sulawesi earlier this year that claimed 10 lives, and multiple helicopter crashes in 2025 that also resulted in fatalities.