On Thursday, April 16, 2026, an Airbus H130 helicopter crashed on the island of Borneo, Indonesia, resulting in the death of eight people. The aircraft, which was carrying two crew members and six passengers, lost contact with the control tower five minutes after taking off at 8:39 local time (1:39 GMT). Mohammad Syaffi, head of the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB), confirmed that the helicopter’s emergency signal was detected half an hour after the accident.
The rescue operation, which took place overnight, was complicated by the dense vegetation and steep topography of the area. So far, the causes of the accident remain unclear. However, debris that may belong to the helicopter’s tail section has been found three kilometers from the point where contact was lost. Authorities have yet to provide details regarding the ownership of the helicopter or the purpose of the flight. This tragic incident adds to a series of aerial accidents in the region. For more information on other recent events in Indonesia, such as the 7.4 magnitude earthquake, you can read our coverage here.
