"We want to clarify the news. Although it is true that one of our pilots has tested positive for drugs, we want to specify that this is not the pilot of AirAsia flight QZ8501," Sunu Widyatmoko said here on Thursday.
He remarked that AirAsia will conduct further tests with the cooperation of the National Narcotics Agency and the hospital of drug addiction to analyze the test results of the pilot who has been identified as FI.
Sunu noted that interrogations have revealed that the pilot had been suffering from typhoid. He was hospitalized from December 26 to 29, 2014.
"The pilot is still on medication and is taking drugs such as actifet (cough and flu medicine), which has a peculiar composition," he affirmed.
Sunu emphasized that the pilot has been working with AirAsia for nine years and has a good track record.
"He is a senior pilot, married, and has a family," he noted.
Sunu explained that AirAsia management has conducted medical examination on all of its crew members after the QZ8501 crash.
Earlier, Special Officer of the Transportation Ministry Hadi M. Djuraid noted that F I, who has been operating AirAsias QZ7510 flight on the Jakarta-Bali route, has allegedly tested positive for morphine.
"The conclusion has been reached after a team of officials from the Health Institute of Aeronautics and the Directorate of Airworthiness and Aircraft Operation of the Transportation Ministry conducted his urine test at the Ngurah Rai Bali Airport in Denpasar," Hadi stated in a press release received here on Thursday.
The test was conducted shortly after the plane landed in Bali at 8.50 a.m. local time.
F I was scheduled to fly AirAsia QZ7511 for a return trip to Jakarta at 9.20 a.m. local time.
However, the pilot has been grounded for further tests at the Health Institute of Aeronautics in Jakarta.
UU.A063/INE/a014
EDITED BY INE
(UU.A063/A/KR-BSR/A014)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
