REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, LAUT JAWA -- An object with length of 20 meters detected under the sea by KRI Rigel-933 warship was confirmed not the fuselage of Lion Air flight JT 610 that crashed into Tanjung Karawang waters in West Java on Monday (Oct 29) morning. The divers have conducted underwater checking in two locations and found out that the object was wreckages of a landing craft utility (LCU) ship and a fishing boat.
"It was not a fuselage," said Head of Underwater Rescue Service Col. Monang Sitompul on LCU-1 Ship KRI Banda Aceh-593 which sailed on Kawarang Waters, Java Sea, West Java, Wednesday (Oct 31).
To confirm the object believed as Lion Air flight JT 610 wreckage, four divers deployed at the first spot. They dived 34 meters beneath the sea surface. Meanwhile, at the second spot, two divers dived at a depth of 33 meters beneath the sea surface.
According to Monang, Karawang waters, the search area for the Lion Air JT 610 aircraft, was indeed occupied with many shipwrecks. Therefore, his team would wait for further information on other possible location from KRI Rigel-933.
"We will conduct underwater searching when we get new information from KRI Rigel," he said.
Also read: Basarnas found coordinate point of Lion Air JT 610 body
Earlier, Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto said National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) has found the coordinate point of Lion Air flight JT 610. He asserted TNI will help to ascertain the coordinate.
“This morning I got information from Basarnas head that there is a strong indication of fuselage (part of plane body) of Lion Air flight JT 610,” said Hadi on Wednesday (Oct 31).
However, he has not mentioned the exact coordinate point. Hadi said the Navy and Basarnas will search for the fuselage in the coordinate first.
“If we found the fuselage, the evacuation process would be easier,” Hadi added.
Aircraft type B737-8 Max with Flight Number JT 610 owned by Lion Air was flying from Soekarno Hatta Airport in Banten to Depati Amir Airport in Pangkalpinang and was reported to have lost contact on Oct 29 at around 06:33 WIB (Indonesia West Standard Time). The aircraft, which bore the registration number PK-LQP, was reportedly last sighted on radar at coordinates 05 46.15 S - 107 07.16 E.
The aircraft departed at 06:10. WIB and was scheduled to arrive in Pangkal Pinang at 07.10 WIB. The plane had requested a return to base before finally disappearing from the radar.
Basarnas has ensured that JT 610 Lion Air crashed in the waters of Karawang Regency, West Java. Victims of the aircraft crash will be evacuated to the East Jakarta Police Hospital.
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