AVIATION/ SEARCH CONTINUES AT MERPATI FL8968 CRASH SITE

Indonesian search and rescue teams have intensified underwater operations today to recover the bodies from a MERPATI NUSANTARA plane that crashed into the sea in eastern Indonesia yesterday, killing everyone onboard. At least 20 divers are taking part in operations today. Merpati Flight 8968 was on Domestic Xian MA60 Service from Sorong to Kaimana, Indonesia, with 21 passengers, 4 crew members and 2 technicians onboard, when it crashed into the sea around 2:00pm, just minutes before its intended landing in Kaimana in the West Papua province. "I can confirm that all the passengers were killed when the plane exploded as it crashed into the sea," a navy officer involved in the search told Indonesian radio. "The aircraft was smashed to pieces". According to media and eyewitness reports, the weather was extremely poor at the time of the crash and the aircraft had been placed in a holding pattern for about 15 minutes, before being cleared to approach for landing. Residents said it was very dark and heavy rains were falling. Around 2:00pm, as the Xian approached at 15000 feet, witnesses said it suddenly tilted to the left and dived into the sea, with the left hand wing striking the waters surface first. The wreckage immediately sank.

In the first few hours after the crash, officials recovered 15 bodies on the waters surface. An additional 2 bodies were recovered in the wreckage, before operations were halted because of darkness last night. Pieces of wreckage washed ashore yesterday and thru-out the night, and were collected for investigators to search thru for clues. Indonesia's Civil Aviation Authority, which is investigating, said the Xian MA60, registration PK-MZK and pictured above, had accumulated 615 flight hours since its introduction into service in October 2010. There have been no reported technical problems with the aircraft. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono requested a minute's silence before the last night's banquet at the ASEAN leaders' summit in Jakarta to pay respect to the dead. The vast Indonesian archipelago relies heavily on air transport and has one of Asia's worst air safety records.