Tekti Pakpahan said that two of her family members who died in the plane crash paid Rp 800,000 (US$59.86) each for the flight, contradicting a previous official statement claiming that the plane was not used for commercial purposes.

"Probably the money was asked for because they were not relatives of military personnel. They took the flight because a friend, who is an Army officer, recommended they do so,'€ Tetdi said as quoted by tribunnews.com on Thursday.

Previously, Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Agus Supriyatna denied that Air Force planes were used for commercial purposes and said no civilians were allowed on board except for Army family members.

'€œIf it [the practice] exists, prove it to me, so we can discharge them [those responsible]. Nothing is commercialized,'€ he said.

A woman who refused to be named refuted Agus'€™ statement, saying that her two sons who died in the crash had paid Rp 800,000 per ticket.

"Then, they made a statement to us, that it is not a ticket, with one of the points being that if anything bad happens, the families cannot sue,'€ she said, crying.

Another victim'€™s relative said that they were interested in taking the flight because the price was lower.

'€œIf they took a commercial flight, it would have cost them Rp 1 million per person. It is expensive. That is why they took that flight,'€ said S. Sihombing, whose two nieces '€” Ester Yosephine Sihombing and Yunita Sihombing '€” died in the plane crash. (ika)(+++)

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