Flight accident kills 98 in Madiun

Erwida Maulia ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 05/20/2009 9:47 PM  |  National

Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Gen. Djoko Santoso said the flight accident in Madiun, East Java, had killed at least 98 people, including military personnel and their family members, as well as two local inhabitants, and injured 15 others.

He said some TNI officers on the ill-fated airplane heading to Biak, Papua, brought their family members with them, contributing to the large number of civilians killed in the military plane crash.

Djoko denied accusations that the military had commercialized its flight service.

"There is no such thing as commercialization [of flight service]. This was a routine flight. [The civilians] were the families of military officers," Djoko said, adding that among the victims were the wife, the mother-in-law, and the children of Biak Air Force Commander Harsono.

"This is standard practice. How much do you think the salaries of military officers are? If they're assigned to Irian, Papua, who wants to pay for [their commercial flights]?" he added.

Djoko also denied cuts in maintenance and operational budgets for military aircraft, saying from the beginning the budget was "insufficient" and that the government should give more priority to making it closer to an "ideal" amount.

He said the cause of the accident was currently still under investigation, and that it might be attributable to weather conditions, given that Iswahyudi Airport, where the plane took off, was covered by ground fog in the morning.

"As we know, the weather, either in the air, or over land and sea, has become more unpredictable now with climate change," Djoko told reporters after reporting the accident to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the Presidential Palace.

The President expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, and instructed the military, particularly the Air Force, to apply "extra" inspections and give the "highest priority" to ensure flight safety and security.
 

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