Bad weather caused chopper crash: TNI<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro and Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta\/Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Military (TNI) has blamed bad weather in Aceh for
\ncausing the helicopter crash on Tuesday, in which eight soldiers
\nwere killed.<\/p>\n
Army chief Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu said on Wednesday the ill-
\nfated Bell 205 chopper was among the TNI's aging aircraft, but it
\nwas fit to fly.<\/p>\n
\"The helicopter was checked before the flight. It was poor
\nweather that caused the accident,\" Ryamizard said on the
\nsidelines of a gathering of senior and former Army officers in
\nSouth Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Aceh military commander Maj. Gen. Endang Suwarya, speaking in
\nLhokseumawe, North Aceh, while supervising the return of the
\nsoldiers' remains, said the crash took place amid thick fog and a
\nheavy downpour.<\/p>\n
\"The pilot may have gotten lost from poor visibility before
\nthe chopper crashed in Sukatani village in Juli Bireuen
\ndistrict,\" Endang said.<\/p>\n
The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) had previously claimed to have
\nshot down the United States-made aircraft, which was purchased by
\nthe Army in 1974.<\/p>\n
Bireuen, where the chopper crashed, is among those regencies
\nthat have seen heavy and frequent gunfights between the TNI and
\nGAM since last May, when the state of civil emergency was
\nimposed.<\/p>\n
\"The claim is nonsense. The crash would have not happened if
\nthe soldiers had been flying a new helicopter,\" Ryamizard said.<\/p>\n
Ryamizard said another military helicopter was a few minutes
\nahead of the ill-fated chopper, and had landed safely in
\nLhokseumawe.<\/p>\n
The eight soldiers were heading to Banda Aceh after attending
\na meeting in Takengon to evaluate the implementation of civil
\nemergency.<\/p>\n
Ryamizard said TNI headquarters had set up a team to
\ninvestigate the accident -- the second involving a military
\nhelicopter since last May.<\/p>\n
In April 2003, a Bolco helicopter made an emergency landing in
\nTanah Pasir district, North Aceh, after developing an engine
\nproblem. It ignited upon setting down, but all three passengers
\nonboard survived with only minor injuries.<\/p>\n
The soldiers killed in Tuesday's crash are: Lt. Col. Suparman,
\nMaj. Yocehi Rantesalu, pilot Maj. Heru Irianto, copilot Second
\nLt. Engkus Kuswara, Second Lt. Yudha Dwiyono, Second Sgt. Irawan,
\nand technicians Chief Sgt. Sulaiman and Second Sgt. Yarzun.<\/p>\n
Their remains were flown back to their hometowns on Wednesday.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bad-weather-caused-chopper-crash-tni-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }