Jakarta: wreckage of Russian jet that crashed with 50 people on board located
Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Indonesian authorities have confirmed
that a helicopter, engaged in relief operations, has sighted the wreckage
(pictured) of what appears to be the Russian aircraft, which crashed yesterday
afternoon during a demonstration flight. The
Sukhoi Superjet 100 disappeared from radar about 50 minutes after taking off
from Halim Perdana Kusuma, the East Jakarta Air Force Base (AFB). The
aircraft with 47 people aboard, including eight members of the crew of Russian
nationality, crashed into the slopes of Mount
Salak in Bogor regency. Rescue
operations managers explain that the helicopter has spotted wreckage - believed
to be from the aircraft - scattered on the side of a cliff of a long dormant
volcano.
The
Sukhoi Superjet 100 was in Indonesia
for a promotional tour that affects at least six countries. Prior
to Indonesia the aircraft, the result of a joint project of Sukhoi and Italy's
Alenia Aeronautica (Finmeccanica group), had visited Myanmar, Pakistan and
Kazakhstan, in the context of an initiative called "Welcome Asia" aimed
- in theory-
at re-launching the Russian air force.
That
of yesterday afternoon was the third demonstration flight in Indonesia and
most of those on board - although the exact nationality of the passengers
remains unknown- were potential customers, journalists and diplomats.
The
jet disappeared from radar about 21 minutes after takeoff, shortly before the
pilots had asked the control tower for permission to descend from 3 thousand to
1,800 meters.
The
lack of signal from the plane put rescuers on alert, who arranged the
deployment of security in the area of Mount
Salak, about 50 km from Jakarta.
However,
the area is very rugged and local civil defense personnel are struggling to
reach the area, it takes at least six hours on foot, to arrive at the scene of
the tragedy. At
first the helicopters had to abandon the search due to bad weather conditions. The
fly-overs resumed this morning, along with hundred of soldiers, volunteers and
experts in a land search.
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