Private operator Pelita brings home remains of crash victims<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The private operator Pelita Air Service
\nyesterday flew home the remains of four of its six crew members
\nwho died when their transport plane plunged into the sea in Hong
\nKong last week.<\/p>\n
There was brief show of emotional when the caskets were handed
\nover to their grieving relatives as most had been mourning for
\nthe past five days. Many were simply relieved that the agony and
\npain of waiting was finally over.<\/p>\n
There were 12 people on board the Pelita's C-120 Hercules
\nplane, all were crew of the airline. The plane was on its way
\nhome to Jakarta, after a mission to repatriate Vietnamese
\nrefugees, when it experienced propeller failure and plunged into
\nthe harbor shortly after take off.<\/p>\n
Six survived the ordeal, five of them have returned home while
\none remained hospitalized in Hong Kong in a critical condition.<\/p>\n
The four victims flown home yesterday were captain Ignatius
\nSoenoto, captain Adi Surya Wardana, cabin attendant Zarmis Kinan
\nand first officer Bambang Sukomartono.<\/p>\n
A brief reception awaited the arrival of Pelita's Fokker-100
\nplane from Hong Kong at the Halim Perdanakusuma airport.<\/p>\n
Colleagues of the victims paid their last respects to the four
\nvictims, with Pelita President Capt. Budiono personally leading
\nthe brief but touching ceremony. He also went to each of the
\ngrieving relatives to comfort them.<\/p>\n
The coffins, draped in the national red-and-white flag, were
\nthen sent to their respective houses. The bodies of Adi Surya,
\nZarmis and Bambang were buried immediately. Soenoto's body will
\nbe buried today.<\/p>\n
Prevented<\/p>\n
Relatives of the other two victims -- Eldon Karta Siahaan and
\nflight engineer Bambang Haryono -- will have to wait until
\ntomorrow before they can receive the remains of their loved ones.<\/p>\n
They will be flown aboard a Garuda Indonesia airliner.<\/p>\n
\"A somewhat complicated administrative procedure in Hong Kong
\nhas prevented us from bringing the other two bodies today,\"
\nBoediono said. The president however praised the way the Hong
\nKong authorities handled the whole incident.<\/p>\n
A Pelita spokesman meanwhile said that their Hercules have
\nbeen carrying out similar missions since 1991 for the United
\nNations.<\/p>\n
It charges US$175,000 for each repatriation flight.<\/p>\n
Pelita, a subsidiary of the giant state oil company Pertamina,
\nhas been forced to look for business overseas with the declining
\ndemand from oil contractors in Indonesia and fierce competition
\nfrom new and rising private air operators such as Gatari, Airfast
\nand Asahi.<\/p>\n
The airline has to find enough business to support its
\n2,200-strong force.<\/p>\n
Founded in 1970 to serve foreign oil companies, Pelita now
\noperates 89 aircraft, including three Hercules, nine Casas, one
\nFokker-100, seven Fokker-28s, nine Gullstreams and 48
\nhelicopters. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/private-operator-pelita-brings-home-remains-of-crash-victims-1447893297",
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