Lion Air Crash: President Jokowi Orders 24-Hours Search and Rescue Operation

President Jokowi visits the families of the victims at the Crisis Center, Soekarno Hatta Airport Terminal, Monday (29/10). Photo by: Agung/Public Relations Division of Cabinet Secretariat.

In the wake of the Lion Air JT610 crash, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has ordered the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), Ministry of Transportation, and other institutions to conduct 24-hour full search and rescue operation by using 15 ships located at the accident area.

“”I have instructed (the search and rescue team) to work hard 24 hours. Use the lights to speed up the search, especially to search the airframe that has not been found,” President Jokowi said, adding that the updated information will be disseminated directly by the Basarnas and Ministry of Transportation.

President Jokowi on Monday (30/10) also visited relatives of the victims at the Crisis Center, Soekarno Hatta Airport Terminal to offer condolences. “We can feel the sadness of the victims’ families waiting for information and news from the Basarnas,” President Jokowi said.

Regarding sanctions for Lion Air, President Jokowi said that for now the Government will prioritize the search and rescue and do the best effort to save the victims and the airframe, while the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) will soon submit the detailed report on the accident.  “(The report) may be submitted tonight or the day after tomorrow, because the black box has not be found,” the President said.

(GUN/EN/AGG/ES)

Translated by: Ridwan Ibadurrohman

Edited by: Ersan Pamungkas