Garuda makes emergency landing

MAKASSAR: National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, carrying some 200 passengers, including Home Affairs Minister Hari Sabarno, was forced to make an emergency landing 10 minutes after taking off at the Hassanuddin Airport in South Sulawesi.

A Jakarta Post journalist on GA flight 601 said that about ten minutes after taking off from Hassanuddin airport, the plane started developing engine trouble, with cabin air pressure dropping very fast, forcing pilot Capt. Bambang Utomo to reduce altitude before making an emergency landing.

"All passengers and stewardesses were panicking and screaming, while only few oxygen masks in the plane were functioning," he said. No one was injured in the incident.

The Manado, North Sulawesi-Jakarta flight was making a stop- over in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

Garuda spokesman Pujobroto told the Post in Jakarta that GA 632 would fly to Makassar Sunday evening and GA 631 Monday morning to pick up passengers of the ill-fated plane.

GA 632 will be able to fly 135 passengers to Jakarta tonight, while the company arranges to help the remaining passengers to stay overnight in Makassar," he said, adding that 35 passengers decided to take a Merpati flight to Jakarta. --JP