"I highly appreciate Indonesia`s efforts in searching for the Sukhoi Superjet."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised the government and the people of Indonesia for their handling of Wednesday`s Sukhoi Superjet 100 crash in the Mount Salak terrain.
"I highly appreciate Indonesia`s efforts in searching for the Sukhoi Superjet which went missing on Wednesday and in investigating the cause of the accident," Putin remarked in a telephone conversation with his Indonesian counterpart Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday night (May 10).
Presidential special staff for international relations Teuku Faizasyah reported that in the telephone conversation, Putin offered his condolences to the families of the air crash victims.
Faizasyah added that Putin also offered his country`s cooperation in handling and investigating the accident.
According to him, the Russian president instructed his country`s representatives to cooperate with Indonesia in the investigation.
Faizasyah observed that President Yudhoyono had positively welcomed Putin`s offer and had contacted the concerned institutions in Indonesia to immediately follow up on Russia`s cooperation in the Sukhoi accident investigation.
At present, the location of the wreckage has been discovered, and efforts to evacuate the victims are underway.
The plane was carrying some 46 passengers, including a number of domestic airline company representatives and journalists, when it crashed during a demonstration flight.
At a press conference held at Halim Perdanakusuma military airport on Thursday morning, President Yudhoyono had called for a thorough investigation into the incident to determine why the aircraft had lost contact during the demonstration flight.
(Uu.O001/INE/KR-BSR)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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