At approximately 1440 local time (0740 UTC) on 9 January 2021, Sriwijaya Air flight SJ182 crashed approximately four minutes after takeoff from Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (WIII/CGK). The Boeing 737-500 aircraft, with registration number PK-CLC (MSN 27323), was en route to Pontianak’s Supadio International Airport (WIOO/PNK) — which is located along the western coast of Borneo island. Reports indicate that the aircraft lost more than 3,045 m (10,000 ft) of altitude in less than one minute and crashed near Pulau Laki, located just off the northern coast of Jakarta. At least 56 passengers and six crew members were on board the aircraft.

On 10 January authorities located the aircraft’s black boxes in the ocean near the Thousand Islands between Laki and Lancang. Authorities also retrieved human remains and wreckage from the crash site. Search and rescue operations are ongoing as of 11 January, but retrieval has been complicated by the fact that the wreckage is located on the ocean floor, approximately 23 m (75 ft) below the surface.