Ministers unhurt in emergency landing

JAKARTA (JP): Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Soesilo Soedarman and Minister of Social Services Endang Kusuma Inten Soeweno survived a scare yesterday when a Merpati Nusantara aircraft made an emergency landing in Palembang, South Sumatra.

The two ministers, in their capacity as members of the board of patrons of the Golkar political grouping, were bound for Jambi for an election rally when one of the aircraft's engines caught fire. A total of 78 passengers and cabin crew were on board.

The incident came only three weeks after another Merpati Nusantara plane crashed on Belitung Island near Sumatra, killing 15 of 53 people on board.

Merpati Nusantara spokesman Tondo Widodo said pilot Dedi Setiadi and copilot Dwi Mawaskoro decided to divert the Dutch- made Fokker 28 aircraft to Palembang's Sultan Machmud Badaruddin II Airport after the engine indicator flashed at about 11:00 West Indonesia Time.

The aircraft, which regularly serves the Jakarta-Palembang route and was formerly part of flag carrier Garuda Indonesia's fleet, was at an altitude of 24,000 feet when the problem occurred.

"It was common engine trouble which can happen to other aircrafts," Tondo said.

The state-owned airline grounded the aircraft with registration number MZ 110, but Tondo dismissed speculation that all of the company's 29 F-28 aircraft in operation would be recalled for testing. He said a team of experts and spare parts had been flown to Palembang.

Merpati sent another F-28 from Jakarta to transport the passengers to Jambi.

The 25-year-old company has been plagued by heavy financial losses and allegations of gross inefficiency blamed on tight control by parent company Garuda Indonesia. (amd)