Helicopter crash victims get heroes' funerals
Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, The Jakarta Post, Padang, West Sumatra
Five West Sumatra police officers and a journalist who were killed in a helicopter crash on Thursday were sent home on Sunday for burial, shortly after rescuers completed evacuation of the bodies.
Sr. Comr. Harison Harmainy, the provincial police chief of detectives, was buried at the Heroes Cemetery in the West Sumatra capital of Padang on Sunday.
The bodies of Sr. Comr. Bambang Irawan, the police's director of intelligence and security division, and pilot Comr. Donny Hardono were flown to the West Java capital of Bandung and Tangerang in Banten respectively. Bambang will be buried in Sukabumi Heroes Cemetery, while Donny will be laid to rest in the Cikutra Heroes Cemetery in Bandung.
Unlike the other victims, the bodies of Adj. Comr. Jurnalis Johor, Second Brig. Welly Permana and Singgalang reporter Erman Tasrial will be buried in public cemeteries in their respective hometowns of Payakumbuh in West Sumatra, Kerinci in Jambi and Agam in West Sumatra.
Deputy West Sumatra Police chief Sr. Comr. Ade Raharja officially sent off the bodies of the officers after a ceremony to pay their last respects to them at provincial police's headquarters.
The body of Erman was laid out at the office the Singgalang newspaper on Jl. Veteran. Many journalists and executives of the provincial chapter of the Association of Indonesian Journalists (PWI) came to pay their respects.
Rescuers completed their evacuation at around 10:00 a.m. on Sunday after struggling over the difficult terrain of the Dr. Mohammad Hatta National Park. It took them 10 hours to complete the evacuation.
The MI-2 helicopter crashed on Thursday amid heavy rain in the national park situated some 20 kilometers from Padang. Police are still investigating the cause of the accident.
The officers were on their way to Padang after inspecting a forest fire in Solok regency.
Co-pilot Second Insp. Asep survived the crash after he jumped through the helicopter's door before it fell. Asep is still undergoing treatment at Dr. M. Djamil Hospital in Padang due to severe knee injuries.