Merpati chief says he is ready to step down

The president director of PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines, Sardjono Jhony Tjitrokusumo, says he is ready to tender his resignation should an investigation of a Merpati MA-60 aircraft crash in Kaimana last week find indications of negligence on his part.

“I am ready to tender my resignation if the error was from Merpati's side,” Sardjono said at his office on Monday evening as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

Sardjono said the crash was not a result of a fuel shortage, adding that according to the company's records the aircraft had been carrying 2,200 kilograms of aviation turbine fuel (avtur).

“[This amount should] have been sufficient for round-trip from Kaimana to Sorong and back,” he said.

The Chinese-made Merpati MA-60 crashed in Kaimana Bay, West Papua, on Saturday, killing all 27 people on board.