Article states that the aircrew re-engaged the MCAS. If MCAS led to a runaway trim condition, there are two switches located between the pilots that can disengage the automatic trim allowing for manual trim inputs. The flight data recorder would indicate if the trim was disengaged.
You have to hand crank the manual trim wheel. It takes many many turns to accomplish what a click of the trim button will do.If they have never done it maybe they didn’t understand how hard it is. When they turned the auto system back on they sealed their fate. I put it down to a combination of panic and poor training. (30,000 + hours, most of it in Boeings)
If the Ethiopian crew knew how to deal with the MCAS system during false AOA indications but couldn't recover, who can say the Indonesian crew also knew but failed to recover.
I don't know if the prior air crew with the jump seat helper that successfully recovered are on record as having reported their trouble to the following crew or not.