JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The number of families seeking closure over the deaths of their loved ones on Sriwijaya Air Flight SJ 182 continues to grow, as they moved to sue aircraft manufacturers Boeing for any faults in the plane.
Authorities in Singkawang, West Kalimantan caught one of two tigers that ran loose in the city’s zoo after cornering the endangered animal overnight. The feat came at a cost, as the big cats killed an animal handler, followed by the death of one of the animals.
And Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra erupted again. The eruption started off by sending hot clouds 2500 meters into the atmosphere. Read on for more of these stories, as curated by our editors:
More Families from Indonesian Victims in Sriwijaya Air Disaster Sues Boeing
The number of Indonesian families suing Boeing for the loss of their loved ones on a Sriwijaya Air flight from Jakarta to Pontianak, West Kalimantan have increased from three to 17, after 14 families decided to take the American aircraft manufacturer to court.
The families launched the lawsuit nearly a month after the low-cost carrier’s Flight SJ182 went down in waters near the Thousand Islands off Jakarta on Saturday, January 9, as it was flying from the capital to Pontianak, West Kalimantan.
“We have filed the petition for the suit on behalf of the families of the victims of Sriwijaya Air [Flight SJ182] to a district court in Chicago, which is Boeing’s head offices,” said attorney Keizerina Devi Azwar of the Jakarta-based Lex Justitia law firm in a statement dated Saturday, February 6.
“My clients filed this lawsuit to get proper compensation from Sriwijaya Air as the carrier and Boeing as the manufacturer of the plane. We are aware that no amount of compensation can replace the loss of a loved one, but at least they can hold Boeing liable.” “
The plaintiffs designated Lex Justitia to represent them, along with the Chicago-based Nolan Law Group, because of the latter’s experience representing clients who lost loved ones in aviation disasters, including those in Indonesia,” asserted Devi.
“These include Garuda flight number GA 152 that went down over Medan, North Sumatra, as well as Silk Air Flight 185 that crashed off Palembang, South Sumatra in 1997."
At least one plaintiff, Slamet Bowo, is pinning his hopes on the legal suit. “I hope the lawsuit can bring closure to my grieving family, though it will not bring my brother back,“ said Slamet, who lost his brother Mulyadi in the disaster.
Sriwijaya Air Flight SJ 182 went down between the Laki and Lancang islands of the Thousand Islands off Jakarta, minutes after it took off from Soekarno Hatta International Airport.
62 people, among them six crew, 46 adult passengers, seven children and three babies went down with the Boeing 737-500, which dates back to at least 1994.
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