Sriwijaya Air SJ-182 Falls, Luhut: We Will Improve Maintenance Of Indonesian Aircraft

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. (Photo: Instagram @ luhut, pandjaitan)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister (Menko) for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said that the Sriwijaya Air SJ-182 flight from the Jakarta-Pontianak route was a momentum for the government to improve the domestic aircraft maintenance system.

"This is a tragedy which, in my opinion, we will continue to improve in the future in the maintenance of our aircraft," he said at the online launching of the 2021 Indonesia Proud National Movement, Monday, January 11.

Luhut appreciated the steps taken by the Minister of Transportation, Budi Karya Sumadi, who moved quickly to deal with this problem. He also led prayers for the passengers and crew in the crash.

"Once again, my deepest condolences for the crash of the Sriwijaya Air plane," said Luhut.

As is known, the Sriwijaya Air SJ-182 plane crashed around Male Island and Lancang Island, Thousand Islands, or 11 nautical miles from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tangerang-Banten on Saturday, January 9.

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi explained that the Sriwijaya Air SJ-182 plane took off at 14:36 WIB. One minute later the plane was at an altitude of 1,700 feet and allowed to ascend to an altitude of 29 thousand feet following instrument standards.

"At 14:40 Sriwijaya was not heading to 075 degrees but to the northwest, therefore ATC was asked to report the direction of the plane. Not long after, within seconds, SJY 182 disappeared from radar," Budi said, Saturday, January 9.

Based on manifest data, the aircraft produced in 1994 carried 62 people consisting of 50 passengers and 12 crew members. Of these, 40 adults, seven children, three babies. Meanwhile, the 12 crew consists of six active crews and six extra crews.

Meanwhile, Sriwijaya Air President Director Jefferson Irwin Jauwena said the plane that crashed around the Thousand Islands was in good health and had no problems.

"If the plane is in good health, before going back and forth to Pontianak and there should be no problem. Reports from maintenance are all smooth," said Jefferson in a press conference at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Cengkareng, Tangerang, Banten which was broadcast on KompasTV, Saturday, January 9th.

He also said the delay or delay that occurred for 30 minutes before the flight was not caused by a malfunction of the aircraft engine. This delay occurred due to bad weather on the flight route to be traversed.

"Delay due to heavy rain. That's why it comes before boarding," he said.