13 Photos And All You Need To Know About The Medan Plane Crash That Killed 142 People
A military air plane in Indonesia carrying 122 passengers crashed into a residential area two minutes after taking off
By Rohini Rajaratnam — 01 Jul 2015, 07:13 PM
Indonesia calls off search for victims in Tuesday's military plane crash
Indonesian authorities will call off a two-day search for victims on Thursday after a military transport plane crashed into a residential area in Sumatra, killing around 142 people, the military said.
"We have not found any bodies since yesterday, so hopefully, we will be able to finish the search-and-rescue operation today," military spokesman Fuad Basya said.
reuters.com
The Indonesian air force has now lost four C-130Bs, a model that forms the backbone of its transport fleet. Jakarta has grounded its remaining eight C-130Bs until investigators discover the cause of the crash.
themalaysianinsider.com
On 30 June, An Indonesian military aircraft, C-130 Hercules, crashed into Royal Gardenia, a dense housing estate in Medan just two minutes after take-off
An Indonesian military transport plane crashed on Tuesday shortly after take-off in a city on Sumatra island, exploding in a ball of flames and damaging nearby buildings.
“A Hercules was... transporting military logistics from Medan,” said military spokesman Fuad Basya. The plane took off at 12.08 pm (1.08 pm Malaysia) from an air force base and crashed in the city about two minutes later about five kilometres from the base, he said.
"It passed overhead a few times, really low. There was fire and black smoke. The third time it came by it crashed into the roof of the hotel and exploded straight away," said Elfrida Efi, a receptionist at the nearby Golden Eleven Hotel.
reuters.com
The military transport plane had 122 people onboard - 110 passengers and 12 crew members - was carrying supplies to other bases in Indonesia
The plane was carrying people and logistical supplies to bases on other Indonesian islands.
It began its multistop journey Tuesday in Jakarta, the capital, and had made two stops along the way to Medan, in Pekanbaru and Dumai. Sometimes, Indonesian civilians also hitch rides on military flights to get to islands which might otherwise be inaccessible.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash, however it has been said that engine troubles most likely contributed to the crash
The stricken aircraft had reported to the tower that it had to turn back to Soewondo Air Force Base after departing from it moments earlier. The cause of the emergency was supposedly stated as engine trouble. Shortly after that transmission, the aircraft careened into the ground while in a steep right-hand turn back toward the airport.
jalopnik.com
The Parlimentary Commission on the other hand believes the poor quality and age of the craft was the cause behind the crash. The plane was 50 years old.
Made in 1964, the marshal said the aircraft was well maintained and was regularly used to transport personnel.
But angry legislators from the Indonesian parliamentary commission on defence called on the government to replace its ageing military aircraft implying the crash was due to the condition of the current planes.
“We in the commission have been asking the government to buy new planes for the air force,” said Pramono Aung on behalf of the commission. “The current fleet is mostly made up of old, poor-quality aircraft. It’s shameful that our soldiers still have to use them.”
theguardian.com
As of this afternoon, the death toll has reached 142 including all 122 passengers on board the plane and at least 20 people on land
By Wednesday morning, 142 bodies had been recovered, said Sari Saragih, a spokeswoman for Adam Malik General Hospital in Medan, where bodies were being brought for identification.
The military’s chief spokesman, Major General Fuad Basya, said Tuesday that there were no survivors among the crew and passengers.
nytimes.com
Wisma Putra has confirmed no Malaysians were involved in the plane crash
The Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that a check with the Consulate General of Malaysia in Medan has confirmed that so far, no Malaysians were found to be involved in the tragedy.The Ministry, however said it would continue to monitor the situation.
"Malaysia wishes to extend its deep sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the government and people of the Republic of Indonesia, especially the bereaved family members on their loss," said the Ministry in the statement.
Tuesday's plane crash is the sixth to have happened to the Indonesian Air Force over the past 10 years
The Indonesian Air Force has had five other plane crashes over the past 10 years, with 155 people killed, according to the Aviation Safety Network website. The deadliest was the 2009 crash of a C-130 near the city of Madiun in East Java that killed 99 passengers and crew members with two people on the ground. That plane hit several houses on its approach to the runway.
Indonesia has a troubled history of air safety, including several crashes in and around Medan. In 2005, a Boeing 737-200 operated by Mandala Airlines, a low-cost carrier, overran a runway during a failed takeoff there, killing 100 passengers and crew members and 49 people on the ground.