"As of today, the wreckage of the ill-fated chopper cannot be cleared because the evacuation process should involve those from PT ATS as the helicopter's operators. They are scheduled to arrive at the crash site on Wednesday (March 20),"
Tasikmalaya (ANTARA) - The wreckage of a helicopter which crashed on a hilly area of Sirnaputra Village, Cigalontang Subdistrict, Tasikmalaya District, West Java Province, on March 16, injuring four people on board, could not be cleared yet, a Wiriadinata Airbase officer said.

The ill-fated chopper's wreckage could not be cleared because the local authorities are still awaiting the arrival of the helicopter operator's team members, the Wiriadinata Airbase Field Commander Lt. Col.M. Pandu Adi said in Tasikmalaya on Tuesday.

"As of today, the wreckage of the ill-fated chopper cannot be cleared because the evacuation process should involve those from PT ATS as the helicopter's operators. They are scheduled to arrive at the crash site on Wednesday (March 20)," Adi said.

The local military and police personnel are still securing the crash site in the Situhiang hamlet of Sirnaputra Village, he said, adding that the clearance should directly be observed by the chopper operator's team members to enable them to ascertain the real condition of the chopper.

The wreckage would be transported to PT Air Transport Services (ATS) in Sentul, West Java Province, Adi said.

The chopper serving the Kawalu-Wanaraja flight route crashed, injuring four people on board.

The survivors, identified as Capt Fuad Humran (pilot), Agung Raharja (co-pilot), Suharso and Tuty (passengers), were then rushed to a local hospital to receive medical treatment.

Several parties, including those from an insurance company in Singapore and the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT), visited the crash site to collect necessary evidence for an insurance claim and an air crash investigation.

Indonesia has been struggling to minimize transport accidents. Last year, a series of fatal accidents had occurred in the country, including the crash of the Lion Air JT 610 aircraft, with 189 passengers, into the Java Sea off Tanjung Karawang, West Java Province, on October 29.

On June 18, 2018, Motor Vessel "Sinar Bangun", reportedly carrying 202 passengers, sank to the bottom of Lake Toba in North Sumatra Province. As a result, three passengers were killed, while 164 others went missing.

Only 21 passengers survived the tragedy, which occurred when the Indonesian government was seriously promoting Lake Toba as one of the 10 priority destinations "Beyond Bali".

EDITED BY INE

Translator: Feri Purnama, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019