Indonesia denies passengers paid to board downed plane

By Ainur Rohmah

JAKARTA

Indonesia’s air force has denied allegations that some of the passengers on a military plane that crashed into a residential area had paid bribes to board the C-130 Hercules.

Air Marshal Agus Supriyatna, air force chief, responded to claims by family members of those who allegedly boarded the plane despite not being related to military personnel by referring to the lack of evidence Thursday.

"Who said that [claim]? If there is any claim, show me the proof," he told Anadolu Agency.

Warning that personnel who break regulations would be sanctioned, he said, “we will fire them all. There is no commercialization."

However, he did not deny the possibility that a person employed by the military may have violated the rules by boarding passengers who were not related to those in service.

"Well he [the person who broke the rule] is who we are looking for," he added.

According to the flight’s manifest, 122 people – including 39 servicemen and 83 civilians from military families – had been on board the Hercules C-130 when it went down Tuesday in North Sumatra province’s capital Medan.

Vivanews.com reported that in addition to those on the flight, another 20 civilians had been killed. 

Following the crash, reports cited the relatives of civilians without military ties who had allegedly died in the accident.

According to merdeka.com, Hendra Bakkara said her cousin, Risma, had paid Rp 1 million ($75) for a ride upon the recommendation of her sister, who had assured her that she could secure a seat.

The claim resembled that by Jhonson Sinaga, who said his brother had paid the same amount per person so he could travel with his wife, son and two nephews.

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.  

"The civilians in the plane were soldiers' family members,” he told Anadolu Agency on Thursday.

“If there is evidence that [passengers] paid, it means they are not a military family,” he added. “Then the commander of the unit will face a harsh sanction."

He said the air force had ordered an investigation into the claims, but the “investigative team did not find it so far."

Army Commander General Moeldoko – who like many Indonesian uses one name -- said Thursday that a team had been tasked with investigating the possible technical and operational aspects of the accident.

"We want to find out what went wrong from all sides. Whether the standard operational procedure was followed or not," Detik.com quoted him as saying.

He added that the investigation would wrap up in around two weeks, with the results being disclosed to the public.

Witnesses have said that they saw the plane go into a roll, before it flew low over the area, eventually crashing into buildings and coming to a rest amid the debris of a condominium and a massage parlor.

Prior to Tuesday's incident, four accidents have occurred involving Hercules C-130 in Indonesia - the last in 1991 when 134 died.

President Joko Widodo has said that the incident should serve as a warning to improve their equipment

"I order the defense minister and army commander to reform the management of army equipment. The supply system must be changed," he told a press conference in West Java.