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)