National

33 People Killed in Lion Air Plane Crash
Thursday, 02 December, 2004 | 08:02 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Solo, Central Java:At least 33 people were killed and many others were injured in a crash involving a Lion Air MD-82 plane at Adi Sumarmo airport, Solo, on Monday (30/11) at 6.50 pm.

Amongst the victims was KH Yusuf Muhammad, former chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction at the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR).

The plane, with the flight number JT-0538 of Jakarta-Surabaya destination, slid as it was landing on transit at Solo.

The plane then the airport fence and crashed into a rice field.

The plane, piloted by Capt. Dwi M, failed to land in the airport.

It was trying to take off again but failed and crashed into the rice field, around 300 meters from the landing area.

It finally hit a cemetery in Ngesrep village, Ngemplak sub district, Boyolali, Central Java.

The aircraft was badly damaged and broken into two parts.

Sukoharjo Police chief, Adj. Comm. Bambang Pratiknyo, said at the time of reporting that 23 people were killed in this incident.

Many of the victims were participants of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) organization meeting.

Angkasa Pura I head of Adi Sumarmo airport, Andri Sukendri, declined to make any comment about the incident.

However, according on the flight manifest, this Lion Air plane was carrying 165 passengers, consisting of 141 adults, 5 children and 10 babies. (Syaiful Amin/Sohirin/Imron/M Nafi/Nofi/Setri/Anas SY-Koran Tempo)