INDONESIA-MILITARY/COFFINS-AIRPORT Bodies of Indonesia plane crash victims brought home

Record ID: 148769

  • Title: INDONESIA-MILITARY/COFFINS-AIRPORT Bodies of Indonesia plane crash victims brought home
  • Date: 1st July 2015
  • Summary: MEDAN, NORTH SUMATRA PROVINCE, INDONESIA (JULY 01, 2015) (REUTERS) SOLDIERS CARRYING COFFIN COFFIN BEING DRAPED WITH INDONESIA FLAG PHOTOGRAPH ON COFFIN COVERED WITH INDONESIA FLAG NOTE ON COFFIN READING: "SECOND LIEUTENANT PILOT DIAN SUKMA P"
  • Embargoed: 16th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Indonesia
  • Country: Indonesia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA3MZRSDBI51CL8W1NNMCW72W3S
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The bodies of sixteen of those killed after a military transport plane ploughed into a residential area shortly after take-off in northern Indonesia were brought home to Jakarta on Wednesday (June 1).
    The plane was carrying 122 people when it crashed in the city of Medan. A military spokesman said 135 people were confirmed dead, including all those on board. The MetroTV news channel said at least 141 bodies had been brought to a nearby hospital, indicating around 20 people were killed on the ground.
    The coffins arrived at a military base in Jakarta. They were received by tearful relatives and Indonesia's president Joko Widodo with a military ceremony.
    "In the name of the Indonesian people and myself privately, I convey my deepest condolences. Hopefully relatives and family will be given patience and fortitude," Widodo said.
    The president said he had ordered an in-depth investigation into the cause of the incident and a "fundamental restructuring" of weapons management and procurement.
    According to the Aviation Safety Network, 10 fatal crashes involving Indonesian military or police aircraft have occurred over the past decade.
    The Indonesian air force has now lost four C-130s, reducing its transport reach in an archipelago that stretches more than 5,000 km (3,000 miles) from its western to eastern tips.
    The air force has grounded its remaining eight C-130Bs until investigators discover the cause of the crash.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register