Merpati disaster won't affect flight

SEMARANG: The slide of a Merpati aircraft into a ditch after landing at the Semarang airport will not affect any flight to and from here, an official said yesterday.

Head of the provincial transportation office Gatot Soedjantoko told reporters yesterday that no plane landings will be disturbed by the incident because it occurred about 120 meters from the landing strip.

He said that the authorities will move the Fokker-28 from the ditch as soon as transportation officials and the insurance company check its position.

Seventy-eight people were aboard when the aircraft plunged into the ditch, breaking it into three pieces. The pilot, the co- pilot and a passenger were injured.

Director General of Air Transportation Zainudin Sikado said a preliminary investigation showed that there was something wrong with the brake system of the Fokker. (har/sim)