Eight soldiers missing in Aceh after chopper stunt goes awry
Nani Farida and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh/Surabaya
Eight Army Special Forces (Kopassus) soldiers were confirmed missing in the waters off Lhokseumawe on Saturday during a rehearsal for the 58th Indonesian Military (TNI) anniversary celebration in Aceh.
The elite soldiers fell into the sea after the harness they were hanging onto from a helicopter was cut for safety reasons after the chopper became unstable in a gust of wind.
Marine and Kopassus personnel, assisted by local fishermen, were still searching for the soldiers, who were feared dead as they were tied to one another before they fell some 500 to 600 feet.
The TNI's anniversary on Sunday will be mostly centered in Surabaya, the capital of East Java, in which the TNI will parade its weaponry, including the newly delivered Russian-made Sukhoi jet fighters and assault helicopters.
Spokesman for the military operation in Aceh Lt. Col. Ahmad Yani Basuki said the Kopassus personnel were practicing a maneuver called STABO in preparation for the commemoration celebration in the country's westernmost province on Sunday.
STABO, short for "stabilized tactical airborne operation", is an extraction operation to escape from a helicopter while tied together in a harness.
Yani said the chopper was flying about 600 feet above the sea, when strong winds buffeted and shook the helicopter suddenly.
To save the soldiers and the chopper, the harness was then cut. The men landed some 330 yards (300 meters) from the beach, but it is believed that the impact with the water may have been fatal.
"Cutting the men loose is the proper procedure in the event of an emergency. We have questioned the chopper's pilot and co-pilot following the accident," Yani told The Jakarta Post.
He said a speedboat which was readied for an emergency situation was dispatched to the area where the soldiers landed shortly after the accident, but there was no sign of them.
There was no statement from the TNI's top brass regarding the accident, which apparently did not affect other preparations for the anniversary on Sunday.
An air show by the four Sukhois will be one of the attractions in Surabaya.
The Air Force has prepared Maj. Arif "Reindeer" Mustafa, Maj. Andi "Gator" Heru Wahyudi, Maj. Palito "Flicker" Sitorus, Maj. Andi "Elanus" Kustoro, Capt. M.J. "Jaguar" Hanafie and Capt. Endik "Airwolf" Triwidarto to pilot the jets on Sunday.
They were among 24 Air Force officers who underwent training in Russia for three months. They arrived home last month.
They make up the backbone of the Air Force's Jupiter Blue aerobatics team which drew applause in previous performances using United States-made F-16 and F-5E jets as well as British- made Hawks.
The Army's latest war machines, the MI-35 assault helicopters, will also be on display above the Java sea. Army soldiers Maj. Agus Sulaksono and Maj. Jeni Ardana from Serang, West Java-based Squadron II will fly the new choppers which landed in Indonesia just last month.
Meanwhile, the Navy will also demonstrate some sea maneuvers, led by the warship KRI Teluk Mandar. The high-speed warships KRI Layang, KRI Tongkol, KRI Kerapu and KRI Hiu will also be on exhibit.
Navy seamen on the elite "Sea Riders" team will perform a staged hostage rescue during the anniversary, only the third time to be held outside Jakarta.
Also taking part are two of 35 German-made vessels which have been renovated.
An orchestral ensemble will also perform on board the KRI Teluk Mandar and play a new TNI theme song which was composed by well-known musician Adie M.S., to replace the old song entitled Angkatan Bersenjata Republic Indonesia (Indonesian Armed Forces).
TNI Spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said that change in the song was made because "the old song had become a joke among student demonstrators when they took to the streets to demand the resignation of president Soeharto in 1998"