Merpati Nusantara Airlines Skids Off At Tari Airport

Kupang, E Nusa Tenggara, June 10 (Antara) - An MA06 passenger carrier Aircraft of Merpati Nusantara Airline skidded off while landing on Kupang`s El Tari Airport`s runway on Monday, 09.52 am (GMT +9). There were no fatalities reported from the incident, but 20 people suffered minor injuries and five others including the pilot captain suffered serious injuries and is undergoing treatment at WZ. Yohanes General Hospital Kupang. Seconds after the incident, 46 passengers including one infant and four crew members survived the incident were immediately rushed to a nearby Air Force`s Hospital Head of Air Force Hospital Dr. Daiman, said to reporters that the five people who were seriously injured has been admitted to the RSU WZ John Kupang for treatment. "There are 25 people evacuated to the Air Force Hospital. 20 of them suffered minor injuries and being treated at that hospital, but five others including the pilot had been referred to the General Hospital in Kupang," he said. El Tari Airport Duty Manager of state-owned airport company PT Angkasa Pura El Tari Kupang Airport Gabriel Lusi Keraf in a separate occasion said that the plane was flying from Ngada, Bajawa carrying 46 passengers and four crew members. Gabriel could not explain the cause of the plane skidded off the runway but the aircraft condition suffered serious damage to the wing and wheel. Based on observation at the scene showed that there is a strong suspicion the plane`s snout touched the runway first.