Six more bodies recovered

JAKARTA (JP): Search and rescue workers recovered six more bodies over the weekend from the wreckage of a Bouraq HS 748 plane which crashed into an Irian Jaya mountain with 10 people on board on Aug. 9.

They hope the weather will be good enough this week to recover the remaining two bodies from the wreckage of the plane, which is scattered over the 2,800-meter Mount Komawa. Two bodies were brought down on Aug. 15.

The plane crashed during a flight from Tual in Southeastern Maluku to Kaimana in Irian Jaya.

The six bodies were flown to Kaimana in two helicopters provided by the Pelita Air Service," Lt. Col. Sukarto, coordinator for the Ambon Search and Rescue Unit, was quoted as saying by Antara on Saturday.

However, only five of them could be identified, he said. They were the remains of Captains Heirizal Mahmud, Achmad Mukhalis, Faturakhman, load master Harley Oktavianus and Hendra Halim, the chief representative of Bouraq in Tual.

The unidentified body was a male. Doctors, whom Sukarto said were close to identifying the body, said it could be technician Hakim.

The first two bodies to be recovered were those of Febby Samual, the chief representative of Bouraq Airline in Ternate, and security officer Second Sgt. Hartadi.

Sukarto said the search and rescue team is still waiting for good weather to recover the remains of stewardesses Emilia and Poppy.(imn)