Plane Crashes in Indonesia the Highest in Asian Countries
Monday, 17 July, 2006 | 19:18 WIB
TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The frequency of commercial plane crashes in Indonesia is rated as the highest in Asian countries, on average nine times per year.
In other Asian countries however, there are only between three and four crashes per year.
Only those crashes in which many people died and caused serious damage to planes are within this category.
According to Yurlis Hasibuan, Head of Sub Directorate of Airplane Maintenance at the Department of Transportation, the said amount is the summary of the international air transport association's research.
“In Europe and the US, the average frequency of plane crashes is between one and two times per year, with a rate of between 0.6 and 0.8,” he said in Jakarta last week. The rate of commercial plane crash in Indonesia is 2.46 times. The higher the rate, the more mishap occurs.
He said that, overall, the rate of heavy plane and small plane accidents in Indonesia has reached 6.8.
This means that each year the total of commercial plane crashes are 21 times, as opposed to a total frequency of 323,400 plane departures.
“Compared to Africa and South America, the rate of plane crashes in Indonesia is between one and 1.5 digits lower,” he said.
He has revealed that the summary of International Air Transport Association (IATA) is slightly different.
IATA concluded that security level of commercial flights in Indonesia is 1.3 lower than the ideal standard of 0.35.
The aviation standard in China was 0.0; European countries 0.3; USA 0.2; the Middle East 3.8; and South America 2.6.
“The higher the number, the worse the security standard,” he said.
Data from the National Committee for Transport Safety (KNKT) shows that within the last year, the number of scheduled commercial flight accidents amounted to 12 times, 21 all in all.
“The ethics of management in terms of plane maintenance would be the most influential factor,” said Setio Rahardjo, Head of KNKT.
Yurlis explained that the commercial plane crashes in Indonesia were affected by human error; minimal efforts in maintaining airplanes; old age of airplanes; and planes having high flying hours.
Jaka Pujiyono, the Corporate Secretary of Merpati Air, said that Merpati has carried out routine maintenance as well as adopted the security standards that have been stipulated by the government.
Rusdi Kirana, the President Director of PT Lion Air, said that plane crashes must be observed from all points of view.
“Lion always fulfills the air transport security standards,” he said.
Source:
http://www.tempointeractive.co(...)060717-80268,uk.html
