Weather to Hinder Indonesian Plane Search Efforts

By Chyna Glenn, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist

August 16,2015; 10:20PM,EDT

 

According to the Associated Press, a search plane has spotted the wreckage of an Indonesian Plane that crashed on Sunday. Smoke was billowing from the wreckage when it was spotted early Monday morning local time.
Contact with Trigana Air Service ATR42-300 twin turboprop plane was lost at 2:55 p.m. local time Sunday (1:55 a.m. EDT), according to the National Agency Search and Rescue Republic of Indonesia.

The aircraft took off from Sentani airport in the nation's capital of Jayapura at 2:21 p.m. local time and was en route to the town of Oksibil, which is located south of the capital. The passenger count included 44 adults, five children and five crew members at takeoff.
There are witness accounts from the Okbape village of a plane flying low before crashing into a mountain, according to the Associated Press. About 150 rescuers are heading to the Okbape village to confirm these sightings.
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Susanto, who goes by one name as does many Indonesians and is the head of the National Agency Search and Rescue Republic of Indonesia, told the Associated Press that the weather was poor near Oksibil when the plane lost contact with the airport minutes before its scheduled landing.
AccuWeather Meteorologist Adam Douty stated, "There have been isolated showers and thunderstorms across Papua over the past day. Most have been from central parts of the country on north."
"Amid the tropical air over Indonesia, showers and thunderstorms will continue to plague search and rescue operations daily early this week," stated AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski. "The afternoon and evening hours will be most active."
Lightning and downpours could slow crews or suspend operations for a time.
The Associated Press added that some planes that have crashed in Papua in the past have never been found.