Tangerang regent urges JAL to pay compensation
Tangerang regent urges JAL to pay compensation
TANGERANG (JP): Local regent Agus Djunara urged Japan Airlines
(JAL) and Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Friday to pay
compensation to Sepatan residents whose houses were damaged
recently by falling engine parts.
"It's not enough for Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and
JAL to apologize to locals who suffered in the accident.
"They have to pay them compensation," said Agus, as quoted by
his spokesman Slamet Putranto, on Friday.
"The condition of the local people is already concerning.
Please do not make it worse," the regent said.
The four-engined JAL Boeing 747 jet with 366 passengers and 17
crew aboard had just taken off for Tokyo when it experienced
engine trouble on Tuesday night.
The plane returned to Jakarta and landed safely at the airport
about one hour after takeoff, having first disposed of some of
its fuel. No one was reported injured.
Debris from the broken engine, however, damaged at least 33
houses in three villages in Sepatan, Tangerang regency, including
Kedaung Barat and Tanah Merah.
Slamet said it was up to JAL and the airport management to
choose the form of compensation.
"The most important thing is the locals do not feel
neglected," Slamet said.
He reminded the two companies that the rainy season would soon
arrive and that broken roofs would make for a miserable few
months.
Locals demanded JAL pay compensation not only for physical
damage but also for psychological suffering caused by the falling
debris.
"Compensation should not only be paid to those whose houses
were damaged by the falling metal, but also to others who
suffered shock during the accident," local resident Josep, 35,
said.
Narsih, 40, from Jatimulya village, which is located about
three kilometers from the airport's runway, said material losses
suffered by locals were small.
"Only some roofs were damaged by the debris. But we here feel
stressed out (from the accident)," Narsih said.
Ati fainted after a piece of hot metal 100 cm in diameter
blasted through her roof and landed on her bed. She said she was
still traumatized by the accident.
Administration manager for JAL's Indonesian office Hideki
Moriyama said the airline would wait for the result of an
investigation made by the airport management and related parties
before making any decision on compensation for Tangerang
residents.
On Friday, members of a team believed to be from the airport
administration and JAL were seen collecting data from locals at
the site.
The team refused to make any comment on their activity.
Judging from the way they interviewed people, however, it
seemed they were calculating the amount of compensation to be
paid to locals. (41/jaw)