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US Navy Pilot can't resume flights, held at TNI lodge
US navy pilot Lt
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US navy pilot Lt. Cmr. James Patrick Murphy is escorted by Indonesian Air Force personnel after he was forced to land his plane at Juwata Airport in Tarakan, North Kalimantan, on Monday. Two Air Force Sukhoi jets intercept Murphyâs Cirrus SR-20 aircraft in Indonesian airspace for not having clearance. (Antara/Fadlansyah) (Antara/Fadlansyah)
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span class="caption">US navy pilot Lt. Cmr. James Patrick Murphy is escorted by Indonesian Air Force personnel after he was forced to land his plane at Juwata Airport in Tarakan, North Kalimantan, on Monday. Two Air Force Sukhoi jets intercept Murphy's Cirrus SR-20 aircraft in Indonesian airspace for not having clearance. (Antara/Fadlansyah)
The Indonesian Air Force continued to hold an off-duty US Navy pilot on Tuesday at Tarakan airport in North Kalimantan while waiting for proper flights permits from the authorities.
Spokesman from Mulawarman Milltary Command Lt. Col. Inf. Andi Gunawan said on Tuesday that Lt. Cmr. James Patrick Murphy, 40, was still being held at Indonesian Military (TNI) lodgings at Tarakan airport.
"We let him take a rest in the lodge but always under tight guard," he told journalists.
Andi said that Murphy could resume his journey if he acquired all the necessary permits. The permits include security clearance, flight approval and also an exit permit which is currently being processed by the US Embassy for the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
"Tarakan airport is still waiting for representatives from the US Embassy in Jakarta to come to Tarakan with officials from the Transportation Ministry to check the flight violations conducted by Murphy," he said.
TNI headquarters is processing the security clearance because of Murphy's status as a military member.
Murphy was flying a small engine Cirrus SR-20 aircraft above Ambalat airspace over the Sulawesi sea without permission on Monday when the Indonesian Air Force detected him on the radar. Two Sukhoi jets intercepted him on air and forced him to land in Juwata airport in Tarakan.
Murphy was on leave flying from Honolulu in Hawaii to reach Seletar Airport in Singapore.
Murphy explained to authorities that from Honolulu, he flew to Tarawa in the Republic of Kiribati and then to Yap Island in the Federated States of Micronesia in the Pacifc Ocean. He then directed his aircraft to Mindanao in the Philippines before planning to land in Singapore.
Andi said passing Indonesian airspace was Murphy's emergency route if there was bad weather blocking the South China Sea route.
"But the problem is, Aircraft Guarantee has not completed the permit for the alternative route passing through Indonesia in the contingency plan of the official route," Andi said.
Aircraft Guarantee is the company that owns the Cirrus aircraft that Murphy was flying. (rin)
