Damaged Palu Runway Thwarts Aid Laden A400M Aircraft

By Amrizan Madian BALIKPAPAN, Oct 5 (Bernama) – The Royal Malaysian Air Force’s (RMAF) A400M aircraft flying food and heavy machinery for the earthquake and tsunami disaster humanitarian mission in Sulawesi are only allowed to fly to Balikpapan, Kalimantan. Twenty-two Squadron commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Baharin Mohamad said the decision against the aircraft landing in Palu, the area affected by the disasters, was made based on safety reasons. "We understand that there are some damages to the airport runway in Palu and the Indonesian authorities do not allow large aircraft such as the A400M to land there. "From Balikpapan, the humanitarian relief goods will be flown by C-130H aircraft belonging to the RMAF and the Indonesian Air Force," said Baharin who accompanied the RMAF humanitarian aid mission to Sulawesi here Thursday. According to him, the A400M could land in a distance of less than 6,000 feet and could take off within 3,500 feet. Meanwhile, about 5,000 kg of food supplies and two oil tankers were flown by RMAF's A400M aircraft to Balikpapan today from Halim Perdana Kusuma Airport in Jakarta at 3 pm. He said two more C-130H RMAF aircraft would be flown from Kuching Air Force Base to Balikpapan and then Palu for the same relief mission Friday. According to him, two EC725 helicopters would also be flown from Labuan to Balikpapan tomorrow before going to Palu for the same mission. The earthquake followed by the tsunami that struck Sulawesi, especially Palu and Donggala last Friday, had caused destructions of property. Over 1,400 people were killed while more than 50,000 people were displaced. Media reports cited more than 200,000 earthquake victims urgently need immediate relief. -- BERNAMA