On 3 December 2016, a PZL M28 Skytruck of the Indonesian National Police disappeared above the South China Sea while approaching Hang Nadim Airport in Riau Islands.

The aircraft was conducting a flight from Depati Amir Airport in Pangkal Pinang, the capital of Bangka Belitung province.

Local fishermen who saw the crash stated that shortly after the first smoke came out from the engine, the aircraft nose-dived and plunged onto the sea.

[7] The fishermen stated that they found the debris around 40 nautical miles (46 mi; 74 km) from Kijang, the seat capital of Tanjung Pinang.

Search team members stated that they had only found several personal belongings from the victims, including photos of the passengers of the aircraft.

An analysis by officials revealed that the sea where the aircraft had crashed was shallow, at a depth of 23–32 metres (75–105 ft).

[19] Governor of Riau Islands Nurdin Basirun and high ranking commander Fahri joined the search and rescue operation.

[20] Governor Nurdin Basirun later ordered fishermen to join the search and rescue effort, stating that "their eyes are more accurate".

He asked fishermen to report to local authorities if they found any personal belongings or wreckage from the sea.

[22] However, according to Soelistyo, the head of the National Search and Rescue Agency, though the main wreckage was located in Indonesia, the flight recorders could have been swept away to the Singaporean territory.

[24] Commissioner Erlangga stated that the aircraft's tail was planned to be raised from the sea at 10:00 local time.

[25] The 3-metre-long (9.8 ft) piece of wreckage was found at a depth of 24 metres (79 ft) and was located at a coordinates of 0 17' 321" N 104 50' 518" E.[26] The search area was also widened and added for an additional 5 kilometres (3.1 mi; 2.7 nmi), as the retrieved bodies had moved around 5 kilometres (3.1 mi; 2.7 nmi) from the main wreckage.

[28] On the same day, the Disaster Victims Identification (DVI) team sent 7 DNA samples to Jakarta for further examination.

[29] On 12 December 2016, the search and rescue operation was officially ended, with rescuers managing to recover 50% of the aircraft's wreckage.