Families fetch dead relatives at Halim

JAKARTA (JP): A heart-wrenching drama unfolded at Halim Perdana Kusuma Airport yesterday as the families of 20 of the victims of Thursday's airplane crash in Bandung gathered for the arrival of their relatives' coffins.

The wife of Capt. FX Bambang Rudi Santoso, the pilot of the ill-fated Sempati flight SG304, who came all the way from the Yogyakarta to collect her husband's body, became hysterical when she saw his coffin.

She kissed her husband's photograph, which was displayed in front of his coffin, that had been covered with the national flag.

Sobbingly, she spoke to one of her sons who stared absent- mindedly at the picture: "Son, your father will no longer be there to cuddle you like he used to before he went away to work."

One of Bambang's colleagues was heard saying at Gates I and II, where all the coffins were laid before being handed over to the families: "I can't watch this, I must get of here before I cry."

Bambang is survived by his wife, Tery Herwantitari, and five children.

His body was then flown to his hometown of Yogyakarta to be buried in nearby Imogiri later in the afternoon.

Another grieving woman was Teti Sachlan, 29.

She said she lost her 64-year-old mother, a sister, a four-and-a-half-year-old nephew, and a seven-year-old niece in the accident.

Teti said she last saw her mother, Heni Hetilahama, when she came from their home in Manado, in North Sulawesi, last March to see Teti give birth at her home in Cimahi, West Java.

She said her sister, a military police sergeant-major, and two of her children, Claudio Yuliadi and Tammy Sadewi, who lived in Medan, North Sumatra, visited her and their mother a week ago.

"They were supposed to head for Medan through Jakarta today, where mommy said she would stay with my sister until December when she said she would return to Manado for Christmas," Teti said, bursting to tears.

Riza Putra, 35, who lost his wife and his two-year-old son, said that his wife and son flew from Padang, West Sumatra, to Bandung last week to visit him.

"My wife and I agreed that we should stay in Bandung, and that they were going back to prepare for the move. Well, we can plan but God decides," said a resigned Riza, a doctor pursuing a specialist degree.

Unlike most people, Riza -- husband of Silvianti and father of Lutfie Akbar Fahriza -- managed to hold back tears.

"We don't know how to cry, but out hearts are broken deep inside," said Riza's brother-in-law, who stood beside his grieving relative.

Marriage

Another tragic story involved Rully Octavia, 27, who died in the accident on the way to his wedding in Padang.

"Mommy, Daddy, big brother and sister, had left for Padang for the wedding with Rosfita which was due to be held on July 19," said Roby, 19, Rully's younger brother who stayed in Bandung.

Roby not only lost his brother in the accident but also his father, Muchlis Munir, and his sister Ranti 29.

Roby's mother, Ranidar, survived the crash with a broken left arm and a few scratches. She remains in a weak state and still unable to talk. She is being treated at Immanuel hospital.

Rully and Rosfita's wedding ceremony was to be held in Padang while the reception was to be in Bandung on Aug. 3.

"Over 1,000 invitations had been posted," said Roby lamenting the loss of his family and his brother's never-to-be-fulfilled plans.

Despite the loss of half his family, Roby remained calm and bravely controlled his emotions.

Rully, his father and his sister were all buried at Sirnaraga cemetary yesterday afternoon.

Muchlis, the father, was teacher at the law faculty in Padjadjaran University. Ranti was a graduate student in the United States.

In Padang, Rosfita also held back tears as she remembered her lost fiancee.

"Rully liked to tease me," Antara quoted her as saying.

"The last time he called me was a moment before his plane took off. He told me (jokingly) that his plane was canceled and said he wouldn't be coming," Rosfita said at Tabing Airport before boarding a plane to Jakarta.

Accompanied by her parents, Rosfita left for Bandung yesterday via Jakarta to attend her fiancee's funeral.

She remained motionless, not saying much, only crying.

Her brother, Rahmat Rasyid, said: "Heavy-heartedly, we now have to pull down the tent and the dais where the bridal couple was supposed to sit, be it here (in Padang) or in Rully's house in Bandung." (aan)