He said the plane was in good condition and its crew members were fit to fly.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The President Director of Merpati Nusantara Airlines (MNA), Sardjono Jhony Tjitrokusumo, said the company`s MA-60 plane that crashed in Kaimana, West Papua, on May 7 had been airworthy.
"I clarified that the plane was airworthy when it departed from Sorong," Jhony said after a meeting with State Enterprises Minister Mustafa Abubakar at the latter`s office here on Monday.
He said the plane was in good condition and its crew members were fit to fly.
"So, it is not the plane that is problematic. So far the plane has had no problem because the aircraft maintenance logbook was clear," he said.
He said right now the National Committee for Transportation Safety (KNKT) was still investigating the cause of the accident.
"We have no early suspicion yet. We are waiting for the results of KNKT`s investigation," he said.
However, he said, he could assure that the plane did not explode neither did one of its wings break.
"We might say the plane plunged into the sea because the weather was very bad," he said.
According to records, the plane was supplied by China`s Xian Aircraft on December 3, 2010.
As of December 6, 2010 it was operated to serve the Bali-Nusa Tenggara route and as of March 16, 2011 to serve the Jayapura-Biak, Nabire-Kaiman-Sorong route in Papua.
"As of today (May 9) the route has been served again. We have sent another MA-60 there," he said.
Merpati is scheduled to receive two more MA-60s on May 19 and 20, 2011.
"We will accept the planes. There will be no cancellation. But in the future it will be adjusted to the company`s business plan," he said.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
