But Indonesia’s air force chief Air Marshal Agus Supriatna told reporters the crashed plane was only authorized to carry military personnel and their families, not paying passengers, according to the Associated Press. “No, no. No survivors, I have just returned from the site”, he told AFP in answer to a question. Supriatna said if evidence is produced, stern action would be taken against anyone who facilitated civilians joining the flight.
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Vienna Indonesian origins will likely call off a two-day search for victims on Thursday after having a military transportation facility plane overwhelmed towards a residence in Sumatra, smashing around 140 mankind, the military said. Authorities say it was carrying 122 people, including military personnel and their family members.
Rescue teams were using heavy machinery to remove the mangled wreckage of the C-130 Hercules as they searched the rubble of a building shattered by the impact.
New witness accounts emerged of terrifying scenes, with one man describing how the plane flew low and then smashed into a building, producing “flames as high as four storeys”.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has ordered a review of aging air force planes and other military hardware. “May we remain protected from disaster”. He said he was unable to specify exactly how many planes were affected. “We’ve lost kind and smart students who had so many creative ideas”.
Kuala Lumpur: The Consulate General of Malaysia in Medan, Indonesia, has confirmed that no Malaysians were involved in the crash of a Hercules C-130 aircraft belonging to the Indonesian Air Force in Medan on Tuesday. Initially, the air force said there were 12 crew members on the 51-year-old plane and didn’t mention passengers. “It is expensive. That is why they took that flight”, said S. Sihombing, whose two nieces – Ester Yosephine Sihombing and Yunita Sihombing – died in the plane crash.
Sembiring said he stopped not far from the crash site and saw several people rescued by police, security guards and bystanders.
Army spokesman Major General Fuad Basya has also reiterated that only close relatives of personnel – such as spouses and children – were permitted to board military aircraft.
Relatives of some civilians from non-military families have said they paid between 700,000 rupiah ($50) and one million rupiah to travel on the aircraft. Outside its mortuary, more than 100 wood coffins were arranged in rows and women cried and screamed the names of loved ones killed in the disaster.
According to the Aviation Safety Network, 10 fatal crashes involving Indonesian military or police aircraft have occurred over the past decade.
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Dr Arthur said that 63 bodies had been identified and would be claimed by their families at the Adam Malik Hospital in Medan.
