Two Planes Collide On Indonesia Runway [PHOTOS]

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A Boeing 737-800 operated by Batik Air clipped the tail of a another plane while attempting to take off from Halim Perdanakusuma airport in Jakarta today.

“All passengers and crew were safely evacuated,” the transportation ministry said in a statement that also announced the closing of the airport until further notice. While it doesn’t appear that anyone was injured, the Boeing 737 didn’t fare as well, with images of the plane’s wing on fire being broadcast on television with fire crews rushing to deal with the burning wing.

Suffice is to say, Indonesian airlines have not have a good two years with a an Air Asia plane crashing into the Java Sea with 162 passengers on board.

The left wing of the planes operated by Batik Air burst into flames after in with the tail of a smaller TransNusa plane after it was cleared for take off by aircraft controllers.

The Batik Air flight ID 7703 was en route from Jakarta to Ujung Pandang, East Sulawesi.

Batik Air is a subsidiary of Lion Air and its plane collided with the Transnusa aircraft when the latter was being towed to a gate by a tractor. Wisely, the pilot of the Batik Air flight aborted the takeoff immediately, and deployed emergency slides for the 49 passengers and seven crew members to quickly deplane.

“With regard to the incident, we are waiting for the results of investigations from the relevant authorities,” said Edward Sirait, president director of Lion Air Group.

 

 

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