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Bomb threat forces Batik Air plane to make emergency landing in Makassar
A Batik Air passenger plane serving the Ambon-Jakarta route was forced Friday to make an emergency landing in Makassar, South Sulawesi, after a bomb threat was received through a text message
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Batik Air passenger plane serving the Ambon-Jakarta route was forced Friday to make an emergency landing in Makassar, South Sulawesi, after a bomb threat was received through a text message.
The plane, which was carrying 125 passengers and seven crew members, took off from Pattimura Airport, Ambon, Maluku, at 6:40 a.m. local time.
Batik Air Ambon office manager Ramly Makawimbang confirmed there had been a threat of an imminent bomb explosion on the Batik Air plane flying from Ambon to Jakarta sent through text message.
Ramly said the text message was sent to the cell phone of a staff member named Linda at 7:08 a.m. local time. A similar message from the same cell phone number was also sent to Yanti, another staff member, at 8:12 a.m.
Ramly further said that after receiving reports from the staff members, contact was made with authorities of airports both in Pattimura in Ambon, and Hasanuddin in Makassar.
It was decided that the plane had to make an emergency landing at Hasanuddin Airport to allow the police to check the report.
"We didn't want to take any risks and gave priority to the safety and security of passengers," Ramly said as quoted by Antara news agency. (hhr)
