"We have prepared the ambulances and helicopters. Fifteen of the ambulances are now on standby at the main command post of the Sukhoi SSJ 100 plane search and rescue at Pasir Manggis hamlet, Cipelang village, Cijeruk subdistrict, Bogor district," chief of rescue mission coordinator (SMC) of the Pasir Manggis main command post, Putu Parwa, said on Thursday.
A joint team of rescue workers was expected to arrive at the scene of the plane crash on Friday morning to evacuate the victims, he said.
All the victims would be taken to the main command post at Pasir Manggis from which they would be flown to Halim Perdanakusuma military base in Jakarta, he said.
Rescue workers were still searching for the victims, he said adding there was no change in the coordinate point where the plane was believed to have crashed after hitting a hill at Mount Salak about 1,800 meters above sea level.
"We hope the weather will be alright tomorrow so the evacuation of the victims will run quickly. Based on the results of a coordination meeting, the victims will be evacuated by land. Because of difficult terrain, it is impossible to evacuate them by air," he said.
The SSJ 100 was carrying 45 people - 33 Indonesians, eight Russians, one American, one Frenchman and two Italians - on a demonstration flight, when it dropped off the radar just 21 minutes after take-off on Wednesday (May 9).
The Sukhoi had taken off from Halim Perdanakusuma air force base in eastern Jakarta at 2:21 pm on Wednesday, and was lost to the radar within 21 minutes. At that time, it was flying in a drizzle near Mount Salak.
The Sukhoi reportedly dropped off the radar shortly after the crew asked air traffic control for permission to drop from an altitude of 10,000 feet to 6,000 feet (3,000 meters to 1,800 meters). (*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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