REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Vice President Jusuf Kalla said that the commercial flight safety system in Indonesia had been overseen by the International Civil Aviation Institute (ICAO) and international organizations such as the European Union. The Ministry of Transportation is strict in monitoring it, he remarked..

"It is not only (supervised by us) but also by ICAO, Europe. Hence, Europe had once banned almost all Indonesian airlines," Kalla stated at the Vice Presidential Palace on Monday.

The EU banned all Indonesia-based airlines from flying in its airspace in 2007 amid a string of accidents and reports of worsening safety standards. However, over the years, the EU has lifted the prohibition on seven carriers, including state-owned Garuda and in June 2018 removed all Indonesian airlines from its safety blacklist on consideration that they have met European aviation safety standards.

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The Lion Air JT 610 plane in the Jakarta-Pangkalpinang route crashed in Tanjung Kerawang waters due to problems while flying. The aircraft tried to return to Jakarta but failed.

The B737-8-type Max aircraft, with Flight Number JT 610, was flying from Soekarno Hatta International Airport to Depati Amir Airport in Pangkalpinang. The aircraft, with PK-LQP registration number, was reported last caught on radar at coordinates 05 46.15 S - 107 07.16 E.

The aircraft departed at 06.10 WIB and was schedule to arrive at Pangkal Pinang at 07:20 WIB.

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