REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANDA ACEH -- A U.S. Air Force plane made an emergency landing at the Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport in the westernmost Indonesian province of Aceh on Friday after it developed an engine problem.

"The U.S. Air Force plane made an emergency landing due to an engine problem. The plane was a Boeing 707," Commander of the Sultan Iskandar Muda Airbase, Colonel Suliono said.

The plane made an emergency landing at the airport at around 01.20 p.m. local time on Friday, while on its flight from the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean to an airbase in Japan, he said.

He further said the plane carrying 20 U.S. military personnel landed at the largest commercial airport in Aceh province safely after one of its four engines had trouble.

Before the plane landed, the airport's traffic control unit received an emergency call from the plane and the emergency call was later passed on to the Iskandar Muda airbase, he said.

"After we had communicated with the plane's crew members, the U.S. military plane was allowed to land (at the airport)," he said.

Before landing at the airport, the plane had hovered in the sky to release all of its fuel to prevent it from being exploded during landing, he said.

"All (airport) officers, including firefighters, were readied when the plane landed. The plane landed safely," he said.

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