Lion Air Turns Around After Airing 40 Minutes To Batam, Passengers Panic The Plane Drops Suddenly

The Lion Air JT 145 plane bound for Padang-Batam after returning to base was parked at stand 5 BIM. (Antara/HO-Angkasa Pura II)

PADANG - The Lion Air plane on the Padang-Batam route with flight code JT 145 was reported to have turned back to Minangkabau International Airport, Padang Pariaman, West Sumatra after flying for 40 minutes to Batam, Monday, December 13 afternoon.

Public Relations of PT Angkasa Pura II Minangkabau International Airport, Fendrick Sondra, when confirmed confirmed the incident. Currently, the plane and all passengers have landed safely and are in parking stand 5.

"The Lion Air flight to Batam Return to Base (RTB) was due to technical problems, currently all passengers are directed to the waiting room", he said in Padang Pariaman, Monday evening.

According to Fendrick, the detailed cause and condition of the plane are still waiting for information from Lion Air. However, passengers will certainly depart again at 18.30 WIB because Lion is still waiting for a replacement plane to land at 17.30 WIB.

Meanwhile, based on information from the flight radar application, the Boeing 737-9GP(ER) type aircraft flew up to a height of 21,000 feet with a speed of 404 knots but was seen turning around after being in the airspace in Limapuluh Kota Regency.

One of the passengers on the plane was Evi Yandri, who is a member of Commission I of the West Sumatra Regional House of Representatives. Evi said that his party would carry out a cooperative study in Medan.

The flight using Lion Air transited in Batam and the plane took off from BIM (Minangkabau International Airport) at around 13.15 WIB. She told about 40 minutes in the air suddenly the air pressure dropped drastically and the pilot decided to return to the Minangkabau International Airport.

"Just now the pilot announced that the plane must return to BIM (Minangkabau International Airport), the plane's position suddenly dropped and we were asked to put on oxygen masks that were already hanging. All passengers panicked", she said.

However, she was grateful for the calmness of the pilot and all the Lion Aircrew, the plane landed safely at BIM. He thanked the pilot and all crew and is currently waiting for a replacement flight.