Pilots protest detention of colleagues
JAKARTA (Antara): Dozens of members of the Indonesian Pilots Federation (FPI) went to the House of Representatives in Jakarta on Friday to protest the detention of Adam Air pilot Tri Nusiyogo and copilot A.D. Syaifuddin by the National Police on Thursday.
Tri and Syaifuddin were detained on accusations they ignored safety procedures during their flight from Jakarta to Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Feb. 11.
The plane had to make an emergency landing at Tambolaka airport in West Sumbawa, East Nusa Tenggara after three hours flying.
FPI president Manotar Napitupulu defended the actions of Tri and Syaifuddin, saying they followed procedures after the airplane’s communications system failed.
“We protest the detention because it will set a bad precedent.Also, an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Commission is still underway,” Manotar told House Commission V for transportation affairs.
“For us, the emergency landing was about safety, not a criminal act,” said Manotar, who was accompanied by some 15 pilots from different airlines.
Commission V chairman Abdullah Aswar Anas also expressed concerns about the detention, saying the police should investigate those who allowed flight to depart Tambolaka for Hasanuddin Airport in Makassar. Separately, Communications and Information Minister Hatta Rajasa said he supported the detention, saying it was part of the investigation into the incident. But he called on the police tocoordinate with the safety commission in the investigation.