Based on information received from the field, all the people on board the plane , including the pilot and co-pilot, were killed,"
Medan, N Sumatra (ANTARA News) - All the 14 passengers and four crew members of the Casa 212-200 plane that crashed in a forest in the Bahorok region in Langkat district, North Sumatra, were found dead on Saturday, a rescue official said.

"Based on information received from the field, all the people on board the plane , including the pilot and co-pilot, were killed," Chief of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Daryatmo said on Saturday.

All of the dead bodies were found in their respective seats, he said.

The plane`s doors were also found in locked condition, meaning that none of the passengers and crew members had moved to try to leave the aircraft, he said.

However, he stopped short of revealing the cause of the passengers` death. "We do not know whether they died because of the impact of the crash or because of other things," he said.

He said a search and rescue team was trying to evacuate the dead victims of the plane crash.

The plane took off from Polonia airport in Medan, capital of North Sumatra province, at 7.28 a.m and was supposed to arrive at Kutacane in Aceh at 8.03 a.m. on Thursday.

The passengers of the ill-fated plane were identified as Aisyah, Astuti, Suryaidi, Dian Afrihni, Suhelman, Yudi Dahtirna, Sirma Tan Gugan, Jefridin, Sirna Karsus ,Andi Raikan M Bangko, Ahmad Arif, Samsidar Yusni, Haminah Fuljanmus, and Hanif.

The plane was piloted by Pamal with Budiono as co-pilot and Nicom and Sutopo as technicians.

PT Nusantara Buana Air, the plane`s operator, has been holder of Air Operator Certificate (AOC) Number 135-041 for unscheduled flights since July 7, 2008.

"The Certificate is to expire on July 2012 while according to the last audit done from April 29 to May 2010 the company operates nine planes," head of the public communication center of the Transportation Ministry, Bambang S Erva, Bambang said.

The 18-seat Cassa plane was made in March 1989 and has a record of 11329,30 flight hours and 13626 take-offs/landings.
(S012)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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