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Medan crash death toll rises to 131
As many 110 passengers and 12 crew members have been confirmed dead following the crash of a military aircraft in Medan, North Sumatra, on Tuesday
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As many 110 passengers and 12 crew members have been confirmed dead following the crash of a military aircraft in Medan, North Sumatra, on Tuesday.
Eight further people, who were inside houses flattened by the plane, were also killed.
The Hercules C-130 aircraft crashed into a housing area in Simalingkar, Medan Tuntungan district, two minutes after taking off from Soewondo Airbase en route to Tanjungpinang in Riau Islands.
Soewondo Airbase spokesperson Maj. Jhony Tarigan said the number of civilian passengers killed in the tragedy was increasing as evacuation efforts progressed.
'The total number of passengers and crew killed in the accident is 122, 39 of whom were soldiers from the Air Force and Army. The civilian victims were relatives of military servicemen,' Jhony said.
Following victim identification, he said, bodies would be handed over to relatives in phases.
'The first phase will involve the transportation and handover of 25 bodies, including 12 crew members, to their families in their hometowns, following identification,' he said. (++++)
