4 Fokker victims’ bodies arrive in Makassar

Tragedy: Air Force personnel carry the coffins of victims of the ill-fated Fokker F27 that crashed in a residential area just outside the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force base in East Jakarta on Thursday. The Air Force is handing over the victims’ remains to their families on Friday. (JP/Jerry Adiguna)

Tears flowed as the bodies of four of the Fokker F-27 crash victims arrived in Bumi Tamanlanrea Permai housing complex in Makassar, South Sulawesi on Friday. Some people fainted due to their distress.

The four, who were family members of Air Force member Maj. Yohanis Tandi Sosang (previously reported as Yohanes), died when the Fokker F-27 belonging to the Indonesian Air Force crashed into a housing complex near the Halim Perdanakusumah Air Force base in East Jakarta on Thursday.

The four were Yohanis’ only daughter, Abrian Kristianbel, 7, Yohanis’ mother, Martina Ro’ren Sosang, 67, as well as Ochi Tumba Belorundung, 30, Yohanis’ younger sibling and Nevli Tannem Randuallo (previously reported as Navlin), 2, Yohanis’ nephew.

The bodies, which were flown to Sultan Hasanuddin Airport in Makassar from Halim Perdanakusumah on Friday morning in a Hercules aircraft, will be buried in Rantebua, North Toraja regency. However, the family has yet to decide when the burials will take place.

“We will have a family meeting on Friday night to decide when they will be buried,” family spokesman Marewa said. The four were taking a nap in the living room and guest room of their house when the Fokker F-27 slammed into several homes belonging to Air Force members and their families. Yohanis and his maid suffered injuries.

Yohanis told reporters that he had just returned home from work and was at the back of the house when the incident occurred.

“All of a sudden, I heard the sound of an airplane that was very close. A few minutes later, I heard a very loud noise. I moved toward the sound and discovered that the part of the aircraft had landed in my house,” he said.

Yohanis ran to the rooms where his relatives were sleeping but couldn’t see their bodies.

“The plane’s fuselage had slammed into the bed,” he said. He finally managed to find his family members’ bodies after neighbors helped him.

Yohanis’ wife, Ivon, was still at work at the time of the crash.

An Air Force official has said that 11 people died in Thursday’s accident, including seven Air Force members on board the aircraft and four civilians on the ground. (swd)