French pilots detained for territorial infringement

JAKARTA (JP): Immigration officials in the South Kalimantan capital of Banjarmasin have detained two French pilots for landing their civilian training planes without proper permits.

Antara reported yesterday that the Thunder Bird (TB-200) F- OHUT and F-OHUU touched down at Syamsuddin Noor Airport at 12:48 p.m. Monday.

The news agency identified the pilots only as Sylvestre, aged 28, and Fabrice Ricetto, 27. They were detained at a hotel pending investigation.

Banjarmasin immigration office chief Rudhi Chaidir said the pilots had landed in the West Kalimantan capital of Pontianak for refueling without the authorities questioning their permits.

The pilots apparently lacked the necessary flight approval from the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation, immigration clearance from the Armed Forces headquarters and entrance permits from the immigration department.

They entered Indonesia from Singapore but had not had their passports stamped by the neighboring country's immigration authorities, Rudhy said.

"They were probably only able to leave Supadio airport (in Pontianak) because the officials in charge were negligent," Rudhy said.

The two pilots were on their way to Melbourne, Australia, to deliver the planes to their buyer. They planned to leave Banjarmasin for Ujungpandang in South Sulawesi before continuing their journey via Kupang in East Nusa Tenggara and Darwin.

The planes, built by an aircraft manufacturer in Tarbes Lourdes, about 900 kilometers north of Paris, were grounded at the Syamsuddin Noor airport yesterday. (pan)