Chopper lands in river

Chopper lands in river

JP/Mulkan Salmona

JAKARTA (JP): A helicopter with a single pilot made an
emergency landing yesterday in the Kali Malang river, East
Jakarta, after experiencing engine trouble.

The helicopter, of the N Bell-206 type, belongs to PT
Derazona, a privately-owned aircraft and helicopter leasing
company.

A Search and Rescue officer from the air force said that the
helicopter was flying from Marunda in North Jakarta to Halim
Perdanakusuma airport in East Jakarta when it experienced the
trouble.

Watched by hundreds of spectators, a giant crane lifted the
helicopter (center) from the river before it was placed in a
truck for transportation to a nearby repair shop.

Eyewitness Sjahrir said that at 8:30 a.m. he saw the
helicopter spinning noiselessly above the river with its rotor
blades not turning.

Minutes later the helicopter landed in the river, hitting an
electric cable duct, he said.

Only the windscreen of the helicopter was damaged and pilot
Anton Martono emerged unscratched. The incident caused huge
traffic jams along Jl. Kali Malang and the surrounding area for
more than an hour as curious motorists stopped to observe the
fallen chopper.

PT Derazona was not available for comment yesterday. (01)