Garuda Denies Claims Of Pilot's Death In Cockpit

Jakarta, Sept 1 (Antara) - Garuda Indonesia Airlines has denied that Rhamdanto, the pilot of GA-4302 flight from Lombok to Bima, died in the cockpit but rather after undergoing medical treatment at Sari Farma Hospital of Bima, West Nusa Tenggara. "We want to re-correct the previous news about the death of the GA-4032 pilot on his journey from Lombok to Bima. It is not true that the pilot died in the airplane," Vice President Corporate Communications Pujobroto stated in a press release received here on Monday. Garuda Airlines confirmed that Captain Rhamdanto died in Sari Farma Hospital after receiving medical treatment. Pujobroto remarked that Pilot Rhamdanto was in good health while flying the GA-4032 airplane on Sunday (August 31). The airplane had a successful landing at the Bima Airport as per schedule at 2 p.m. local time. After parking the airplane in the airport at 2:10 p.m. local time, Rhamdanto complained to the crew that he was not feeling well and asked them to take him to the hospital. The pilot was seen walking from the airplane to a car at 2:15 p.m. local time and was accompanied by his crew members to the hospital. The crew and pilot arrived at the hospital at 2:45 p.m. local time, and Rhamdanto received medical treatment for 45 minutes. Irma, the doctor, stated that Rhamdanto could not be saved and died at 3:30 p.m. local time. The airlines returned Rhamdanto`s body on Monday morning for his last rites in Jakarta.