At least 97 people were killed yesterday after an Indonesian military plane carrying more than 100 people crashed into a village in East Java province
At least 97 people were killed yesterday after an Indonesian military plane carrying more than 100 people crashed into a village in East Java province.
Officials at the scene said dozens of others had been injured, while the death toll is expected rise as more victims are discovered inside the wreckage and on the ground.
|
|
Tragic: Soldiers inspect the wreckage of the C-130 military cargo plane in Magetan, East Java, Indonesia. pic/ap |
According to local reports, the C-130 Hercules came down at about 6:30am local time yesterday, ploughing through several homes in Geplak village, 325 miles east of the capital, Jakarta, before bursting into flames and skidding to a stop in a rice paddy.
112 passengers
TV footage showed local people frantically trying to extinguish the flames with buckets of water.
Air force spokesmen said the aircraft was carrying 112 passengers and crew, including at least 10 children, while 15 passengers appeared to have survived the crash.
The cause of the crash, one of several recent accidents involving the Indonesian air force, was not immediately clear. Flying conditions were described as good, and the US-made plane had been passed fit to fly.u00a0
The crash occurred as the aircraft was flying from Jakarta to Madiun in East Java province.
Bad news continueApril 6: A Fokker 27 military aircraft slams into an airport hangar in the city of Bandung on Java island, killing 24.
March 7, 2007: A Boeing 737 jet operated by national airline Garuda shoots off a runway and erupts in flames in Yogyakarta on Java, killing 21 people.
Jan 1, 2007: A plane belonging to budget airline Adam Air plunges into the sea in central Indonesia in stormy weather, killing all 102 on board.
Sept 5, 2005: A Mandala Airlines Boeing 737-200 crashes shortly after takeoff killing at least 145.
