Barupertama Observatory Incident

Barupertama Observatory Dissapearances

The Primary Observatory Range, from where the Staff was reported missing on the morning of 3 July 2019, presumed to have dissapeared the night before during the landfall of Tropical Storm Lao.
Date	19 July 2019 (2019-07-19)
Duration	Missing for 1736 Days
Location	Barupertama Aerospatial Observatory Range, Cukobai
Also known as	Gunungangin National Atmospheric Research Station (GNARS)
Type	Disappearance
Outcome	Unsolved, Currently Under Investigation

The Barupertama Observatory Incident (Huajiangite: 主孔和何堂失踪; Alphabetized Huajiangite: Zhǔkǒng hé Hétáng shīzōng; Zhukong and Hetang Disappearance) was a mass disappearance which took place in the Barupertama Aerospatial Observatory Range, near the peak of the Gunungangin Volcano on the Vanugalu District of Cukobai. Both Huajiangite and Cukobaian scientists and support staff were reported missing. The two stations affected during the event were Zhukong Observation Station (主孔观测基地; Zhǔkǒng guāncè jīdì) and the Hekong Astronomical Observatory (何堂天文台; Hétáng tiānwéntái), both sites administered by the Huajiang Executive Commission of Science. The crew of the Zhukong Observation Station were the last of the two stations that communicated with another station, Melati-Noore (the core facility of the range operated by Cukobai) at 8:31 PM. The disappearance is believed to have occurred sometime between 8:45 PM on 19 July to 3:30 AM local time the following day, during which all communications from the station were lost due to the concurrent landfall of Tropical Storm Lao. Emergency communications systems were opened up to give the all-clear signal for all stations, however neither Zhukong nor Hetang responded to the signal. Further communication attempts were made by other stations to both of the affected stations but no communications were established.

An informal investigation was started by the authorities that were monitoring the Barupertama Observatory, which found all staff missing from both stations. This prompted a ground search and rescue team was organized by the Kaval 5 hours after at around 8:30 AM. a reported 46 Huajiangite and 14 Cukobaian scientists and site personnel were reported missing on the site. An analysis of both sites indicated two different possibilities. The Zhukong Observation Station analysis reported that there was a forced entry, while The Hetang Astronomical Observatory analysis reported that there was no forced entry.

As of 1 August 2019, the search has found 8 of the missing staff. All other remaining scientists missing, and unofficially presumed dead. The search for the missing scientists has become one of the most controversial disappearances in Cukobai's history, prompting the 2019 Cukobai-Tangdi Summit.

Disappearance

The Barupertama Observatory had announced a hurricane warning for the grounds and asked that all scientists stay on the premises of the Observatory from 17 July onward. Tropical Storm Lao had made landfall on Cukobai on 19 July, during which communications between stations had were cut as power had been shut down by the core facility of the range, Melati-Noore. Communications were shut down at 8:40PM, and the last communication that was made originated from the Zhukong Observation Station. The last voice contact had been made at 8:28PM by Communications Scientist Fan Men.

Emergency communication systems were made available at around 10:00PM in order to check up on all stations and give an all-clear signal. All stations except for Zhukong and Hetang responded to signal. While emergency communication attempts to contact Zhukong were successful to deliver, they never responded. Regular communications with Zhukong were taken offline for unknown reasons at the time. Both emergency and regular communication attempts to contact Hetang were successful in delivering but were never responded to by the station.

Without any communications from Hetang and Zhukong, all scientists from all bases were called to gather at Melati-Noore under the pretense of an emergency at 3:00 AM. Ground security forces followed up with a physical investigation of Zhukong and Hetang, concluding with every assigned member from those stations to be declared missing on 20 July at 3:30 AM. Security forces were ordered to then secure the area and wait for Kaval to organize a search and rescue team. At around 8:30 AM, security forces arrived with the team and began their investigation.

The investigation started at Zhukong, the larger of the two stations. Samples of contaminated blood, physical struggle and damage to various pieces of equipment and laboratory fixtures were found. The main telescope, pieces of surveying equipment and communication devices were rendered damaged beyond repair, as well as security placements being triggered. All entrances to Zhukong were found to be broken to a certain extent. The main entrance to Zhukong was found entirely off of the frame while the secondary entrance was found broken in the frame. It was concluded that there was an obvious struggle among almost all of the staff and that at least several people were seriously wounded.

The investigation continued to Hetang, which depicted a completely different environment. Unlike Hetang, equipment was found untouched and power remained on. The telescope and all of the surveying equipment had remained intact as well as communications in and out of the station remained online. Entrances to Hetang remained untouched, with even a very thin layer of dust gather on to some of the communications equipment. The preliminary search ended at around 6:30 PM with full damage reports being produced and Kaval making an official statement on the disappearances.

Victims

While the entire primary crew of Zhukong and Hetang Stations were all Huajiangite nationals, and primarily of Qi descent, a number of support staffers were also present who were Cukobaian, largely of either Dusunpan or Cuko-Whaeamoean persons from the mainland districts. Following the official recognition of the disappearance by the Kaval on 4 July, the Barumpertama Observatory released the names of all scientists and support staff unaccounted for to the public.

Name	Position	Status	ID Number	Station Assignment
Tan Min 谭閔 (Tán Mǐn)	First Chief Scientist	Missing	42032	Zhukong
Chen Lipin 臣礼品 (Chén Lǐpǐn)	Second Chief Scientist	Missing	58343	Hetang
Wang Tao 汪桃 (Wāng Táo)	Chief Military Scientist	Missing	42348	Zhukong
Lu Feng 率缝 (Lǜ Fèng)	Military Scientist	Missing	42782	Zhukong
Fan Zhou 繁周 (Fán Zhōu)	Military Scientist	Missing	42746	Zhukong
Hai Ti 海题 (Hǎi Tí)	Military Scientist	Missing	58143	Hetang
Tian Zai 天再 (Tiān Zài)	Military Scientist	Missing	58974	Hetang
Fan Men 翻璊 (Fān Mén)	Communications Scientist	Missing	42136	Zhukong
Ti Mao 体毛 (Tǐ Máo)	Communications Scientist	Missing	42875	Hetang
Gou Zhong 狗种 (Gǒu Zhǒng)	Communications Scientist	Missing	58964	Hetang
Mei Shi 美世 (Měi Shì)	Astronomer	Missing	42579	Zhukong
Kong Jia 孔家 (Kǒng Jiā)	Astronomer	Missing	42242	Zhukong
Long Ba 龍霸 (Lóng Bà)	Astronomer	Missing	42743	Zhukong
Gao Xian 高先 (Gāo Xiān)	Astronomer	Missing	42091	Zhukong
Xia Shen 霞神 (Xiá Shén)	Astronomer	Missing	42542	Zhukong
Zhen Sha 珍沙 (Zhēn Shā)	Astronomer	Missing	42832	Zhukong
Li San 里三 (Lǐ Sān)	Astronomer	Missing	42132	Zhukong
Ma Pei 妈配 (Mā Pèi)	Astronomer	Missing	42846	Zhukong
Ren Guozhong 人果种 (Rén Guǒzhǒng)	Astronomer	Missing	42048	Zhukong
Wei Ziyuan 为资源 (Wèi Zīyuán)	Astronomer	Missing	42592	Zhukong
Wo Yongzhi 我用纸 (Wǒ Yòngzhǐ)	Astronomer	Missing	42501	Zhukong