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Ministry suspends route permit of missing helicopter's operator
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Illustration. (tribunnews.com) (tribunnews.com)
Illustration. (tribunnews.com)
The Transportation Ministry has suspended PT Penerbangan Angkasa Semesta's (PT PAS) permit to service the Siparmahan-Kualanamu route in North Sumatra following Sunday's incident involving its EC 130 helicopter.
"We have revoked [the airline's] operating permit for the route involved in the incident," said the ministry's director general for air transportation Suprasetyo on Thursday as quoted by Antara news agency.
He added that the airline could resume the route again once it met certain corrective action requirements.
In addition to the suspension, PT PAS is also not allowed to service new routes until the National Transportation Safety Commission (KNKT) released its investigation results.
Previously, the ministry's director for air transportation Muhammad Alwi had said that PT PAS' business and operation permits could be suspended as well if Sunday's incident proved to be a crash.
"We are still waiting for the initial report from the KNKT regarding the helicopter's official status. If it was a crash, we will suspend [the airline's] permit," said Alwi.
According to Alwi, PT PAS currently owned three aircraft, and based on the 2009 Aviation Law and Ministerial Regulation No. 97/2015, the fleet requirements for non-scheduled commercial air transportation permits, or Air Operator Certificate (AOC) 135, include having three aircraft, with at least one being owned by the company.
"Thus, PT PAS can no longer operate since its AOC will be suspended in accordance with regulations," said Alwi.
Separately, the ministry's navigation director Novie Riyanto said that the helicopter flew without a flight permit and flight plan.
"When the helicopter carried the passengers of one family, it had a permit. But when it flew back to Kualanamu, carrying three other passengers, who were allegedly crew, it had no permit," said Novie.
The chartered EC 130 helicopter lost contact after departing for Kualanamu International Airport from Siparmahan village, Harian district, Samosir regency, at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday. It was piloted by Capt. Teguh Mulyanto and had one engineer, Hari Poerwanto, and three passengers on board.
The helicopter was reportedly chartered by Marihad Simbolon, a businessman from Samosir living in Jakarta.
One of the passengers from the missing chartered EC 130 helicopter, Fransiskus Subihardayan, has been found alive. He was found floating in the waters of Lake Toba at 1 p.m on Tuesday. (kes)
