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)