Reuters AlertNet Lite - Indonesia plane crash survivors describe ordeal

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Indonesia plane crash survivors describe ordeal

07 Mar 2007 07:17:37 GMT
Source: Reuters

YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia, March 7 (Reuters) - Some passengers leapt two metres from an Indonesian jet that overshot the runway at Yogyakarta airport on Wednesday to escape the flames that quickly engulfed the plane. Many who failed to reach emergency exits died as a series of explosions fed the onboard inferno in Indonesia's second deadly airline accident in less than three months.

A government official said in mid-afternoon the death toll stood at 49.

"We had been warned that it would be a turbulent flight," said survivor Ruth Meigi Panggabean, who works for relief agency World Vision.

Garuda flight GA-200 with 140 people aboard took off from Jakarta at 6 a.m. (2300 GMT Tuesday) and the Boeing 737-400 began descending 55 minutes later at Yogyakarta's Adi Sucipto airport, known for its relatively short runway.

"As we approached the ground and I could see roofs from our window, the plane was still swaying and shaking. Then the plane slammed to the ground and skidded forward and slammed once again before it came to a stop," she told Reuters.

Another survivor said some passengers were scrambling to get their belongings before he shouted at them to save themselves.

"Some passengers wanted to get their hand luggage. I cried to them, 'Get out, get out'," said Din Syamsudin, chief of Indonesia's second-largest Muslim organisation, Muhammadiyah.

"It was dark, I finally found the emergency exit. It was not so high. The plane was full of smoke. I managed to get down. I just jumped from two metres high and landed in a rice field," the 48-year-old Syamsudin told Radio Elshinta.

TV footage showed that shortly after survivors left the plane the fire worsened and black, acrid smoke billowed high.

Syamsudin had been due to meet Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer in Yogyakarta.

While Downer was delayed in Jakarta, nine Australian diplomats and journalists were on board the ill-fated plane, the minister told reporters at a briefing at the Australian embassy. Downer said five of the Australians had survived but four were still unaccounted for.

"From what I've heard there's no evidence at this stage to suggest that the aircraft was in any way sabotaged, or there was a terrorist attack," he said.

Downer added he would fly to Yogyakarta later on Wednesday aboard an Australian government plane.

Garuda's media office said a total of 19 foreigners had been aboard the doomed airliner.

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Last updated:Wed Mar 7 07:18:05 2007