Two people killed in helicopter crash

Two people killed in helicopter crash

JAKARTA (JP): A Pelita Air Service NBO-105 helicopter crashed and burned in Blang Dalam village in the Pidie regency of Aceh on Saturday, killing two people and seriously injuring another, Antara reported yesterday.

Those killed were pilot Bambang Gatot and loadmaster Supardi, while the injured person was identified as mechanic Sutanto.

Supardi's body was found in the cockpit but Bambang and Sutanto were both thrown out of the helicopter, Antara reported.

Bambang's and Gatot's bodies arrived at Halim Perdanakusuma airbase in Jakarta yesterday on a Pelita F-100 aircraft. They will be buried today.

Bambang died on the way to hospital in North Sumatra capital of Medan Saturday and Sutanto is still under intensive medical care at the Elizabeth hospital in that city.

The helicopter was chartered by the Jakarta-based gold mining company PT Miwah Tambang Emas and was flying to its plant in Geumpang on the border of Aceh Barat and Pidie regencies.

The helicopter was carrying survey equipment and left Medan's Polonia airport at 7.30 a.m. on Saturday. It crashed at 9.35 a.m., about 25 minutes before it was scheduled to land.

Pelita officials said the cause of the accident was still under investigation. Eyewitnesses said the helicopter crashed and exploded in the jungle after the rotors stopped.

"We will find out what caused the accident," Chief of the Pidie Police District Lt. Col. Kamil Fahmi said.

He said the helicopter deviated from its usual route, possibly because of the weather.

On Saturday the helicopter took the shortest route because the pilot thought the weather was good, he said quoting an official from PT Miwah Tambang Emas Sigli, 112 kilometers east of Banda Aceh.

The weather in North Sumatra and neighboring Aceh has been rough lately and could be dangerous for light aircraft and helicopters, according to Kamil. (imn)