Wreckage of missing Navy plane found

WAMENA, Irian Jaya (JP): The wreckage of the ill-fated Navy Cassa plane was located in a remote mountainous area of Jayawijaya regency on Wednesday with all people aboard found dead.

The Jakarta Post correspondent reported from Wamena that the bodies of the nine passengers (not eleven as earlier reported) had yet to be evacuated due to bad weather and difficult access to the location, between Palimo and Silimo villages in the Kurima district, 11,800 feet above sea level.

The preliminary assumption was that the plane made a turn too early and crashed into the mountain, but official statements on the cause of the crash have yet to be made as investigations continue.

The navy plane went missing on Monday while on a flight from the mining city of Timika in the southwest of Irian Jaya, to Jayapura, the capital of the province some 475 kilometers to the northeast.

President Abdurrahman Wahid, who was attending a meeting in Bandung, expressed condolences to the families of the victims of the crash after he was told by National Police Chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro that all people on board had perished.

Abdurrahman also led a brief prayer for the victims ahead of the meeting.

Irian Jaya governor JP. Salossa instructed on Wednesday that all Irianese fly the Indonesian flag at half-mast for one week from Wednesday as an expression of condolence.

The victims are Irian Jaya Police chief Insp. Gen. FX. Sumardi, the provincial Military commander Maj. Gen. Tonny A. Rompis, head of the provincial Prosecutors' Office Bismar Mannu, speaker of provincial legislative council Nathaniel Kaywai, pilot Maj. Sutopo Waluyo, co-pilot First Lt. Dedi Haryanto, adjutant of the Irian Jaya governor's police Sgt. Maj. Jeheskia Z., and flight technicians First Sgt. Sultan and Ordinary Seaman Gunawan.

Seven bodies were found in the wreckage of the plane, while the bodies of Sultan and Gunawan were 'hidden' in the tail of the plane.

Chief of National Search and Rescue Agency (SAR) operational unit First. Adm. (ret) Sukapdjioto told the Post from Jayapura, that "Sumardi's body was found at the front of the plane, while the remains of chief prosecutor and the two mechanics were in the tail section which fell into a ravine about 75-meters deep."

"The intense cold of some four to five degree Celsius at the mountainous area plus their injuries made it hard for the victims to survive," he added.

The discovery of the Navy Cassa U-614 was assisted by a report from a local child to a Catholic priest living in Silimo, some 15 minutes flight from Wamena, that he had seen wreckage of a plane on Wednesday morning.

The priest then reported the news to Wamena-based MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) Rek William, who conveyed the news to fellow pilots Harry Berguis and Thomas Haans, who then flew a helicopter to the location.

Trikora Military Command Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. K. Ralahalo said that two pilots could see a broken wing bearing letters TNI- AL (Indonesian Navy) on it.

"They returned to Wamena and reported to the Search and Rescue command post what they had seen. Unfortunately the Indonesian Air Force's Bell helicopters had to halt operations due to bad weather," Ralahalo said.

Two platoons of Army have been deployed to the location and will evacuate the bodies on Thursday (today) to Timika and then to Jayapura.

Sukapdjioto said that if possible, from Timika the bodies would be flown straight to Surabaya and Jakarta.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting on Political, Social and Security Affairs in Jakarta, Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Widodo ruled out the possibility that sabotage caused the crash.

"We always inspect every plane to assure it is in a good condition to fly. The ill-fated Navy Cassa had also undergone such a clearance," Widodo said.

In a related development, Irianese students grouped in the Revolutionary Papua Students Movement (Gempar) in Yogyakarta called on officials not to make rash comments or speculate that sabotage caused the plane crash.

"Once Jakarta officials speculate that sabotage was behind the crash, the soldiers posted in Irian Jaya would translate the speculation as an order to commit more violence which is against human rights," he said.

Records

Refuting the possibility of human error both Widodo and Indonesian Navy spokesman Commodore Franky Kayhatu said that pilot Maj. Sutopo Waluyo, a deputy chief of Squadron 600 and co- pilot First Lt. Deddy Haryanto, were both very experienced.

"They had been posted in Jayapura, Irian Jaya, for about six years," Widodo said.

According to military records, Maj. Gen. Tonny A. Rompis was born in Lembean, Minahasa on June 17, 1948 and was appointed chief of Trikora Military Command on November of last year.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Saleh Saaf said on Wednesday that the late Irian Jaya Police Chief Insp. Gen. F.X. Soemardi, 52, was one of the best police cadre.

Born in Yogyakarta, on June 25, 1948, Sumardi had been awarded at least six medals for his loyalty, valor and courage, Saleh said.

Meanwhile, Attorney General's Office spokesman Muljohardjo said that prosecutor Bismar Mannu's body would be buried at the institution's cemetery in Cibinong, West Java.

Born in Bone, South Sulawesi on Oct. 12, 1942, he had served as prosecutor since 1968. Mannu was installed as the office's expert for a year in 1999 before being assigned to the top post at the Irian Jaya Prosecutor's Office on July 28, 2000.

The 25-year-old Nathaniel, was a graduate of the school of law at the Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta. (team)