Three plane crash victims identified

Three plane crash victims identified

JAKARTA (JP): Of the seven bodies that were badly mutilated in the crash of a Merpati Nusantara Airlines plane in the Molo Strait, East Nusa Tenggara, three have been identified.

Merpati spokesman Agus Soedjono said here yesterday that certain bodily remains belonged to co-pilot Lovi Ibrahim, airborne mechanic Johnny Tjuikaang Saduk and passenger Mrs. Halim.

A search and rescue team worked through the night to locate the wreckage of the 16-seater turboprop Twin Otter that crashed into the 50 meter deep strait on its way from Bima to Ruteng with 14 people aboard on Tuesday morning.

The bodies were found scattered on the beach of the western tip of the Flores island, together with bits of the ill-fated plane that had been in the Merpati fleet since 1974.

Accounts in local and international press reports have conflicted as to the number of victims and whether the wreckage has been located.

A major Jakarta newspaper reported yesterday that the bodies of the victims and the plane wreckage had been found in the strait between the Rinca and Flores island.

But Agus said yesterday that up to yesterday evening, only seven bodies had been recovered and the wreckage had yet to be found.

The cause of the accident is also still a matter of speculation. Merpati president Ridwan Fatarudin said either bad weather or an explosion due to mechanical failure may have caused the accident.

The Armed Forces (ABRI) has reportedly sent in frogmen to the strait in the hopes of finding the plane wreckage and the rest of the victims.

The massive search operations involve ABRI, the police, residents, a Nomad plane from the navy, one helicopter and two of Merpati's light planes. (pan/icn)