Trigana Air Plane Shot, Dekai Yakuhimo Airport Still Operates On Hercules Plane

The Hercules plane arrived at Dekai airport, Monday (13/3). (ANTARA/HO/Cartenz Peace Task Force)

MERAUKE - Head of Dekai Airport Management Unit (UPBU), Suryani Mahendra revealed, Dekai Airport in Yakuhimo Regency, Papua Mountains is still operating served by Hercules aircraft. "Dekai Airport operations remain open because a Hercules plane landed," Mahendra told ANTARA when contacted from Merauke, Monday, March 13. Meanwhile, no civilian flights have landed or departed from this airport. "After the shooting of the Boeing 737-500 Trigana Air plane on Saturday, there were no civilian aircraft scheduled to fly to Dekai," he said. Prior to the shooting incident that hit the Boeing Trigana plane, the plane served the Sentani-Dekai round-trip route every day. Apart from the Trigana plane, Wings Air also serves community flight activities to and from Dekai. "It is not certain when the two civil aviation companies will return to serve flights to Dekai," said Suryani Mahendra. Earlier on Saturday, March 10 at around 14:06 WIT after taking off from Dekai Airport, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Province, Mountains carrying 66 passengers was heard, gunshots made passengers panic, but finally Trigana landed safely at Sentani Airport, Jayapura Regency. "We were scared after hearing gunshots and kept praying during Dekai-Sentani's journey," said one passenger from Dekai, who asked not to be named.