JAKARTA — Indonesian authorities have turned down help from a group of “dukuns”, or shamans, in the hunt for the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501, reported Tempo magazine today (Dec 29).

The communications director of Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency BASARNAS confirmed to Tempo that they had received the offer for help, but said they could not accept the offer as “it was not our standard”.

Mr Mukhti Maarif, a leader of shamans in Indonesia’s Belitung island, had earlier told Tempo that his group were merely waiting for an official invitation to start their “supernatural” search.

“There needs to be an official request to avoid skewed opinion of dukuns (shamans),” Mr Mukhti told Tempo. “Until this moment, we have yet to be involved. We are ready to help.”

Mr Mukhti claimed that a brief supernatural “monitoring” had already revealed a vague outline of the final resting place of QZ8501.

“The aircraft fell because there was mechanical failure. At this moment, the aircraft is in the ocean near the corals, in the eastern waters of Pulau Nangka,” Mr Mukhti was quoted as saying.

He added that his group was willing to work together with those equipped with advanced technology to determine the exact location.

“The district of Belitung, whether it is on land, in the sea or air, is filled with supernatural matters,” Mr Mukhti said.

Source: Tempo