Tag: Indonesia

Blackbox Of AirAsia Flight QZ8501 Found

SURABAYA: Indonesia’s Directorate General of Marine Transport has confirmed that the black box of AirAsia QZ8501 has been found, Indonesian authorities said in a press release on Sunday (Jan 11). The breakthrough comes exactly two weeks after the flight from Surabaya to Singapore went down with 162 people on board.

In the release, Navigation Director of the Transport Ministry Tonny Budiono said navy divers from Indonesia navy ship KN Jadayat found the black box at a depth of 30 to 32 meters. Mr Budiono later told MetroTV that Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore officers were on board the KN Jadayat.

The black box is currently wedged between pieces of wreckage making it difficult for divers to retrieve, and due to time constraints, retrieval will take place on Monday morning, said Mr Budiono. The search crew will attempt to retrieve the black box by moving parts of wreckage to loosen it from where it is currently stuck, and if that fails, the same balloon method used to lift the tail of the plane will be employed.

To facilitate recovery efforts, a marker buoy has been installed at the site where the black box is, added Mr Budiono.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

January 12, 2015
Malaysian Fishing Vessel Bombed By Indonesian Police

KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian-registered fishing vessel which allegedly conducted illegal fishing activities was bombed by Indonesian authorities yesterday.

According to Indonesian news agency Jakarta Post, the trawler was sunk by the republic’s police in North Sumatra for illegal fishing off Pandan Islet recently.

The agency quoted North Sumatra police chief Inspector General Eko Hadi who said the sinking of the ship, which features registration number PKFA 7738, was approved by the Indonesian court.

“After getting approval from the district court head, we used dynamite to destroy and sink the ship,” he was quoted as saying.

The trawler was destroyed in Belawan waters. It was the first time that the North Sumatra police had sunk a foreign vessel for fishing illegally.

However, the news report did not state the fate of the vessel’s crew members.

Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo had last year instructed the republic’s authorities to take stern action against foreign fishing vessels which are found fishing illegally in their waters.

Source: https://sg.news.yahoo.com

January 9, 2015
Engine Of AirAsia Flight From Surabaya Flight Failed Prior To Take Off

In the latest incident to hit an AirAsia flight departing from Surabaya, the engine of a plane failed just before it took off from Juanda International Airport in the Indonesian city, local news media reported.

The plane had been taxiing for 2m to 3m before takeoff when the engine suddenly died, horrifying passengers, who heard a loud sound, Indonesia’s Metro TV reported.

Thankfully, the Bandung-bound plane made it back to the gate and the 120 passengers on board were then asked to disembark while the plane underwent repairs, Indonesia’s Metro TV reported.

Passenger Yusuf Fitriadi told Metro TV that a man clad in pilots’ uniform told passengers wait ing at the terminal that the starter monitor had malfunctioned.

“The plane was ready and moved, but suddenly a loud sound was heard, the sound of the engine disappeared and the plane moved backwards. We were shocked and panicked.

“The plane was then pulled back to where it parked and we were asked by the stewardess to leave the plane,” the passenger was quoted by Metro TV as saying.

The plane was supposed to have departed at 9pm local time on Saturday.

Mr Yusuf said that the airline later told passengers that the flight would be resumed after the issue had been attended to, but about 90 per cent of them refused to reboard the plane, fearing that the fault would reoccur during the flight.

AirAsia then refunded the plane fare of those passengers who had declined to continue with the flight, Metro TV reported.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

January 5, 2015
Indonesia Deploys KRI Usman Harun In QZ8501 Search Operations

Singapore offered its help to Indonesia in the wake of the AirAsia crash as part of a humanitarian effort, and will continue providing its assistance professionally, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said yesterday in response to Jakarta’s deployment of KRI Usman Harun, the naming of which sparked a diplomatic row between the two countries last February.

Indonesia media reported that KRI Usman Harun, a Bung Tomo-class corvette, was deployed because it is equipped with advanced underwater sonar capabilities — the Thales Underwater Systems TMS 4130C1 hull-mounted sonar.

A MINDEF spokesperson said: “Singapore offered its help for this humanitarian effort arising from a tragic accident of AirAsia flight QZ8501 which has befallen our Indonesian neighbour. We offer our deepest condolences to the bereaved families of the passengers and crew. The Singapore Armed Forces will continue to assist in this search effort professionally.”

Jakarta’s decision to name the ship after two marines who carried out a bombing at MacDonald House in 1965 had led the Singapore Government to send a Third Person Note — a formal diplomatic note — to its Indonesian counterparts to register its regret.

Subsequently, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said the KRI Usman Harun would not be allowed to dock in Singapore and the Republic’s navy would not sail with it in joint exercises.

Source: www.todayonline.com

January 5, 2015
TNI Layak Dianggap Sebagai ‘Abang” Dalam ASEAN

JAKARTA: Tentera Nasional Indonesia (TNI) layak dianggap sebagai ‘abang’ (big brother) dalam Asean memandangkan kesemua 10 negara anggota pertubuhan mengiktiraf kepimpinan TNI, kata Jeneral Moeldoko, panglima tentera republik itu.

Namun, pada masa yang sama, jurucakap Kementerian Ehwal Luar Indonesia, Encik Arrmanatha Christiawan Nasir, cuba meredakan nada kenyataan panglima TNI itu. Beliau berkata, Asean akan sentiasa menjadi asas utama dasar luar Indonesia.

Kenyataan berani Jeneral Moeldoko itu dinyatakan beliau dalam satu sidang akhbar selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat pucuk pimpinan TNI Isnin lalu.

Laporan The Jakarta Post kelmarin memetik jeneral yang dilantik panglima pada Ogos tahun lalu itu sebagai berkata Indonesia sebagai anggota terpenting Asean mendukung kedudukan genting dalam memastikan keselamatan dan kemantapan serantau.

“Kami punya sebuah forum yang dihadiri panglima tentera Asean (dan ketua pertahanan). Kesemua mereka mengiktiraf keunggulan kami,” kata panglima asal Kediri dan berusia 57 tahun itu.

“Kami punya satu perjanjian kerjasama antara TNI, Asean dengan negara Asia Pasifik. Kami cuba menjadikan TNI sebagai abang dalam Asean,” kata Jeneral Moeldoko, yang menerusi kenyataannya itu jelas merujuk kepada sidang tahunan Forum Serantau Asean (ARF).

Tambah beliau, dalam mesyuarat yang dihadirinya itu mereka telah membincangkan tentang isu pertikaian di Laut China Selatan dan harapan Indonesia untuk menjadi perintis dalam mengekalkan kestabilan di kawasan tersebut dengan melaksanakan diplomasi dengan China dan Amerika Syarikat.

“Selepas saya dilantik (sebagai panglima tentera), saya ketemu panglima dari Filipina dan Vietnam. Kemudian, saya ketemu panglima tentera dari China untuk menyampaikan keprihatinan kita (tentang pertikaian di Laut China Selatan),” kata Jeneral Moeldoko.

Indonesia bersama-sama Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Filipina dan Vietnam, telah mengemukakan tuntutan bertindih dalam soal Laut China Selatan di China.

“Saya menyatakan kepada ketua turus tentera China bahawa Indonesia dan negara (lain) Asean faham tentang pembangunan tentera China. Namun demikian, kami menjangkakan China tidak akan menimbulkan ketidakstabilan dalam rantau Asean,” katanya lagi.

Jeneral Moeldoko berkata, beliau turut melahirkan sentimen serupa kepada panglima tentera Amerika Syarikat, Jeneral Martin Dempsey.

Source: http://beritaharian.sg

December 27, 2014