JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia’s President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has expressed deepest condolences to the families of the victims in the crash of a Sriwijaya Air jetliner on Saturday, January 9.
“On behalf of the government and the people of Indonesia, I extend my deepest condolences and sympathies over the tragedy,” Jokowi said in a televised address on Sunday, January 10.
Jokowi has instructed the Minister of Transportation and the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) as well as the Indonesian military and police to immediately search the victims.
Also read: Sriwijaya Air Flight From Jakarta to Pontianak Loses Contact Over Jakartas Thousand Islands
“We are doing our best to search and rescue the victims and we pray together so that the victims can be found,” he said.
Jokowi had also asked the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) to investigate the incident.
The Sriwijaya Air jetliner carrying 62 people on board crashed in the sea shortly after take-off from Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Sriwijaya Air flight 182 from Jakarta to Pontianak in West Kalimantan lost contact at 2:40 pm local time on Saturday. The flight was scheduled to arrive at Soepadio Airport at 3.15 pm.
Also read: Indonesian Investigators Pinpoint Location of Sriwijaya Air Flight SJ 182
The Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator (SMC) and Basarnas Operations Director Brigadier General Marsekal Rasman said that the search for the plane which crashed in the Thousand Islands chain northwest of the capital Jakarta will continue at night.
“We will continue to carry out the operation tonight, but it is limited to the operation of the ships with underwater equipment,” Rasman said in a statement on Sunday.
The operation has deployed 2,571 members, 81 vessels, 12 helicopters, and 32 land equipment, he added.
(Writer: Fitria Chusna Farisa | Editor: Bayu Galih)
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