Govt Releases Progress Report on Lion Air Victims Evacuation
Minister of Transportation, accompanied by head of the Basarnas and head of the KNKT, releases progress report on Lion Air Victims evacuation in Jakarta, Monday (5/11). Photo by: Humas Kemenhub
One week after the Lion Air JT-610 crash, the Government has released temporary report of the progress of the search and rescue operation.
A press conference on the evacuation progress was held by Ministry of Transportation, the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the National Committee for Safety Transportation (KNKT), the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) of the Indonesian National Police (Polri) and the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) at the Ibis Cawang Hotel, Jakarta, Monday (5/11).
On that occasion, Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi told families of the victims that the Government has made the best effort in searching and evacuating victims, airframe and the black boxes.
“The rescue operation is conducted in accordance with the direction from the President, saying that the search and rescue process shall be conducted with a maximum effort, the Minister said.
Before the families of the victims, the Minister also expressed his appreciation to the joint team consisting of the Basarnas, the KNKT, Polri, the Coast Guard, the Bakamla, Customs, Indonesian Red Cross, Indonesia Divers Rescue, Pertamina and many other entities who had put their best effort in the rescue operation. Budi also expressed his deep condolences for the death of a volunteer from Indonesian Divers Rescue, Syachrul Anto, who died during the rescue operation.
“I express my condolences for the fallen hero, Mr. Syachrul Anto, a member of the search and rescue team who evacuated the victims, Budi said, adding that he has asked Lion Air and other stakeholders to support the families of the Lion Air JT-610 aircraft as much as possible.
“Since 4 November, the Search and Rescue Team with nearly 1,400 personnel has evacuated a number of bodies. The bodies have been handed over to the Indonesian National Police for identification. Until now, the National Police Hospital has identified 14 bodies.” the Minister said.
During the meeting, the victim’s family was also given the opportunity to ask questions or give suggestion to the Government. Some of the families of the victims expressed their appreciation for the maximum effort that the Government has made in the rescue operation and expressed hope that the Government will extend the search and rescue period and thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident.
In the meantime, Head of the Basarnas Marshal Muhammad Syaugi added that the evacuation process for the Lion Air victims will be extended for the next three days. “Hopefully, if there are other victims found in these additional three days, they will be immediately evacuated and be handed over to the National Police Hospital,” Syaugi said.
Based on the reports, the Search and Rescue team has saved 140 bodies of the victims.
Regarding the investigation process, Head of the KNKT Soejanto Tjahjono said that it will take two weeks to verify the Lion Air black box data. “We have successfully downloaded black box data with a flight data recorder (FDR). The data is good and the verification is underway,” Soejanto explained.
Also present during the press conference were Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi, Head of the Basarnas Marshal Muhammad Syaugi, Head of the KNKT Soerjanto Tjahjono, Head of the DVI Polri Lisda Cancer, and Commander of the Amphibious Warfare Ship Colonel Bambang Trijanto.
(Humas Kemenhub/ES)
Translated by: Ridwan Ibadurrohman
Edited by: Ersan Pamungkas
