- Title: INDONESIA: Indonesian cameraman speaks of surviving Garuda plane crash
- Date: 8th March 2007
- Summary: (BN10) YOGYAKARTA, INDONESIA (MARCH 8, 2007) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) HEAD OF FORENSIC TEAM SURYA PUTRA SAYING: "There are four foreigners. I am not sure if they all were Australians." NAMES OF FOREIGNERS BEING TYPED ON COMPUTER SCREEN MORE OF NEWS CONFERENCE VARIOUS OF GRIEVING RELATIVES VARIOUS OF PATIENT LYING DOWN (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) SURVIVOR ADI MUNAWAR SAYING: "When we were about to land at the airport, we felt the plane was jolting for a few seconds. And I felt that the plane hit the land. The situation turned chaotic. I heard sounds like an explosion. From there, I can't remember anything." PATIENT WITH INJURED CHIN (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) SURVIVOR ICHSANUDDIN SAYING: "This is a horrific experience, I am afraid and disappointed." FORENSICS HEADQUARTERS
- Embargoed: 23rd March 2007 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Indonesia
- Country: Indonesia
- Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
- Reuters ID: LVA3Z92XD3OHG2C8ZGBNIE3T7Q52
- Story Text: A cameraman who shot dramatic scenes of people fleeing the burning wreckage of an Indonesian airliner that crashed killing more than 20 people, describes his own lucky escape from the accident. Other survivors recount their ordeals. An Indonesian cameraman who survived the crash of an Indonesian airliner on Wednesday (March 7) and shot dramatic footage of fleeing passengers, broke down in tears as he described his experience.
Wayan Sukarda, who works for Australian broadcaster Channel Seven, said on Thursday (March 8): "Before the wheel of the aircraft landed, that is very hard, very hard, like a "boom" and the passengers in the aircraft panicked. Somebody cried, I heard. They just say 'oh my God, oh my God! This is a hard landing'."
"I will be back to Bali to meet my wife, my family," said a tearful Sukarda. "Yes, I think God blessed me. I think this is my second life."
Earlier reports said 48 bodies had been recovered but the plane's operator, Garuda Airlines, said 22 people were killed when the plane overshot the runway and burst into flames. The plane was carrying 140 people and the remaining passengers and crew managed to escape.
Dozens jumped from the emergency exits into surrounding paddy fields to escape the blaze, which reduced the aircraft to smouldering, twisted metal.
The flight was carrying a group of Australian diplomats, government officials and journalists who had accompanied Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on a visit to Indonesia. Downer was not on board. Australia said five of its nationals were injured and four were unaccounted for.
Other injured survivors described their ordeals.
Adi Munawar said: "When we were about to land at the airport we felt the plane was jolting for a few seconds. And I felt that the plane hit the land. The situation turned chaotic. I heard sounds like an explosion from there I can't remember anything."
Another survivor, Ichsanuddin, who suffered a gash on the chin, said: "This is a horrific experience, I am afraid and disappointed."
Two Australians injured in the crash arrived back in Darwin, northern Australia.
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