Sunday, February 10, 2008

Garuda airlines pilot charges over Indonesia crash

The pilot of a Garuda flight which crashed in the Indonesian city of jogyakarta last March has been arrested and charged with six offences.

He faces up to seven years jail for manslaughter.

Twenty one people including five Australians were killed in the crash.

Our Jakarta correspondent, Geoff Thompson, reports as cockpit warnings blared 15 times, Captain Marwoto Komar rapidly descended and overshot the runway at Jogjakarta airport on the morning of March 7, 2007.

The jet he was piloting, Garuda Flight 200 crashed and burned killing 21 people including five Australians.

Police in Jogjakarta have now questioned Captain Komar and listed the six charges they are pursuing against him as they prepare a brief to be handed to prosecutors.

All the charges are based on manslaughter offences with the most serious charge carrying a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment.

Source: Radio Australia

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