Teamwork in the Skies Brings Three Helicopter Survivors Home from Papua’s Forest

When a helicopter disappeared over the forests of Papua, the terrain separating its occupants from safety was nearly as formidable as the accident itself. Yet a combined group of pilots, emergency specialists and medical personnel transformed a difficult situation into a successful rescue.

The aircraft, operated by PT National Utility Helicopters, was transporting food and other supplies when contact was lost at 10:16 a.m. local time on September 17, 2020. Search personnel later located the crash site approximately 120 kilometers from Timika’s airport.

All three people aboard had survived, but the helicopter had come down amid thick vegetation. The surrounding forest left no safe place for a rescue aircraft to land.

A Rescue from Above

PT Freeport Indonesia’s aviation division had access to a helicopter equipped with a hoisting system—specialized equipment capable of lowering rescuers and lifting survivors while the aircraft remained airborne.

A joint response was organized involving PT HeliSGI, PTFI Aviation, emergency personnel from Occupational Health and Safety, and International SOS. Before departure, the team evaluated the dangers of the mission and waited for suitable weather.

The flight crew included Captain Mark Nissen, First Officer Yohannes Saputra, Helicopter Landing Officer Marman Tuharea and Flight Engineer Ojan Wiharta. Emergency responders Hein Rumbino and Indra Yoom joined senior paramedic Anton Saputra for the operation.

Once over the accident site, the rescue helicopter held its position roughly 30 meters above the forest. Rumbino, drawing on more than a decade of emergency-response experience, descended with Saputra toward the wreckage.

One survivor had been able to communicate with the initial search party. The other two—including the helicopter’s captain—were conscious but trapped inside the damaged aircraft. Rumbino helped free them and moved them to a safer location, allowing Saputra to assess their injuries and administer first aid.

Clearing a Path Through the Forest

The two more seriously injured survivors were prepared first for evacuation. Each was raised by hoist into the hovering helicopter and transported to emergency personnel waiting elsewhere.

Vegetation around the wreckage complicated the operation. Rumbino used a chainsaw to remove several trees and give the flight crew a clearer view of the rescuers and survivors below.

The third survivor had suffered a broken arm and became frightened when his turn came to be lifted. Rumbino calmly guided him through the process, reminding him that the aircraft would soon carry him away from the forest and back toward his family.

His reassurance worked. The final survivor was secured, raised from the crash site and brought safely aboard.

Training Turned into Action

The rescue demonstrated how specialized equipment becomes most valuable when supported by experience, preparation and trust. Pilots had to maintain a steady hover over difficult terrain while responders worked beneath them, and medical personnel had to evaluate injured survivors in an isolated environment.

For senior paramedic Anton Saputra, the operation carried additional meaning: it became his final mission before retirement. Years of exercises and emergency assignments culminated in a successful rescue made possible by cooperation across several organizations.

What began as a dangerous accident in an inaccessible forest ended with all three occupants receiving the care they needed. The mission stands as a reminder that careful preparation and coordinated action can create a path to safety—even where no path appears to exist.