Five feared killed in air crash ahead of Susilo's Papua visit<\/p>\n
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura<\/p>\n
A Navy helicopter crashed in the mountains of Nabire regency,
\nPapua province, amid bad weather on Wednesday, and all five
\npeople on board were feared dead, police said.<\/p>\n
The ill-fated Bell 212 chopper was making a test flight as
\npart of preparations for a planned visit on Saturday by President
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono to Nabire for Christmas celebrations
\nwith local residents.<\/p>\n
Paniai Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Taufik Pribadi said the
\nhelicopter crashed in Siriwo district, some 50 kilometers
\nsoutheast of the Nabire township.<\/p>\n
The accident occurred some 30 minutes after the chopper took
\noff from Nabire airport at around 10:25 a.m., he said.<\/p>\n
\"Based on the latest contact with the helicopter, the pilot
\nsaid he had encountered bad weather. Communication was cut
\nshortly afterwards,\" Taufik said.<\/p>\n
Quoting local villagers, he said they saw a helicopter
\ncrashing into a river in the Siriwo district. An aerial search
\nalso identified the crash site, he added.<\/p>\n
The chopper carried three crew -- pilot Capt. Novi, copilot
\nFirst Lt. Putu and mechanic First Sgt. Disiono -- and two
\npassengers identified as Novi Kogoya and Mayu.<\/p>\n
Taufik said that it was unknown whether all the five
\nIndonesians on board were killed instantly. However, he admitted
\nthat there were no signs of survivors.<\/p>\n
He said rescue operations would only begin early on Thursday
\ndue to the difficult terrain, poor access and bad weather at the
\ncrash site.<\/p>\n
\"There is no place for landing there, and the river is
\nsurging,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Taufik said a rescue team from the Navy and the National
\nRescue Agency (Basarnas) is already on standby in Nabire.<\/p>\n
He said the crash would not cause President Susilo to cancel
\nor postpone his planned trip to Nabire on Dec. 25. \"So far, there
\nis no plan to change the visit.\"<\/p>\n
Based on the schedule, Susilo and his wife Kristiani Herawati
\nas well as several ministers will leave Biak regency by a Tanjung
\nDai Fele ship for Nabire on Saturday to meet victims of a
\ndevastating earthquake that killed at least 23 people on Nov. 26.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, the presidential entourage is slated to head to the
\nPapua capital of Jayapura for similar Christmas celebrations at
\naround 8 p.m. local time.<\/p>\n
Bad weather has often been blamed for aircraft crashes in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Sept. 20 this year, a Bell 206 helicopter piloted
\nby U.S. national Neil Roesler plummeted to the ground near remote
\nKomamil village in the Papua town of Wamena, also due to foul
\nweather.<\/p>\n
The mountainous landscape of Papua, the country's eastern-most
\nprovince, prevents people from using land transportation and
\nforces them to rely on air transportation to reach remote parts
\nof the region.<\/p>\n
Similarly, the Indonesian Military blamed bad weather in Aceh
\nfor causing a helicopter to crash on Oct. 12, in which eight
\nsoldiers were killed.<\/p>\n
The military said the ill-fated Bell 205 chopper was among its
\naging aircraft, but it was fit to fly.<\/p>\n
The Free Aceh Movement had previously claimed to have shot
\ndown the U.S.-made aircraft, which was purchased by the Army in
\n1974.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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