Three Flights To Ambon Airport Diverted Due To Bad Weather

Residents watch the overflowing Sikula River and pass through a section near Pattimura International Airport Ambon, Maluku/Photo: ANTARA/Jimmy Ayal

AMBON - A total of three flights to Pattimura International Airport Ambon, Maluku, Tuesday, were diverted to the nearest airport due to bad weather in the morning.

"There were three flights that could not land at Pattimura Airport due to bad weather and were diverted to other areas", said Legal, Compliance & Stakeholder Relations Manager of PT Angkasa Pura (AP) I Pattimura Airport Ambon Aditya Narendra when confirmed in Ambon, Tuesday, July 26.

He explained that two scheduled commercial flights from Makassar to Ambon and one chartered plane from Jakarta to Ambon were diverted to the nearest airport, due to bad weather and limited visibility.

Two commercial flights on the Makassar-Ambon route, namely Sriwijaya Air with flight number SJ-662 and Lion Air with flight number JT-880 were diverted to Domine Eduard Osok (DEO) airport, Sorong city, West Papua.

Meanwhile, the special Bombardier Challenger 605 aircraft carrying the Chairman of the MPR Bambang Soesatyo and his entourage was diverted to Sam Ratulangi Airport, Manado, North Sulawesi.

The special plane carrying the MPR Chair flying from Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang, Banten, was supposed to land at Pattimura Airport at 10.35 WIT, but due to bad weather, it was diverted to Manado.

"Information obtained by the charter plane carrying the Chair of the MPR has departed from Manado for Ambon at 13.02 WITA or 14.02 WIT. Because the chartered plane is scheduled to arrive earlier than regular planes", he said, quoted by Antara.

According to him, bad weather due to heavy rains since Tuesday morning, also impacted five flights to experience delays, namely Lion Air flight number JT-880 with the Ambon route (AMQ) to Langgur (LUV) and Wings Air with flight number IW-1506 Ambon route ( AMQ)-Sorong (SOQ).

In addition, Sriwijaya Air with flight number SJ-663 with the Ambon (AMQ)-Makassar (UPG) route, Batik Air with flight number ID-6171 with the Ambon (AMQ) route to Jakarta (CGK), and Sriwijaya Air with flight numbers SJ. -662 for Ambon (AMQ)-Langgur (LUV).

"Specifically, Batik Air has been able to depart for Jakarta, while Sriwijaya Air from Ambon to Langgur has been canceled", he said.

Sikula River overflows

Aditya also confirmed that heavy rains since Tuesday morning caused the water of the Sikula River on the border between Laha State, Ambon City, and Hatu State, West Leihitu District, Ambon Island, Central Maluku Regency, to overflow until it crossed the road connecting the two villages.

However, the overflow of the Sikula river did not hamper activities at the international airport, because the overflowing water did not inundate the airport complex or the runway.

"Activities at Pattimura Airport continue to run normally. The overflowing Sikula River water only passes through the outside of the airport area, so it does not interfere with flight activities", he said.

The overflowing water of the Sikula River to pass through the road makes vehicle activity from Ambon City and to villages in West Leihitu Sub-district and vice versa, temporarily impassable by vehicles.

"The flow of water that overflows through the road is very heavy and cannot be passed by vehicles for a while. The water level that passes through the road is also estimated to be more than one meter", said several residents of Hatu Country.

Residents hope that the heavy rain will gradually subside so that the overflowing water can soon recede and the activities of vehicles connecting the area can run normally again.