PNG helping Indonesia in crash investigation

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
CIVIL aviation authorities in Papua New Guinea are working with their Indonesian counterparts to find out the cause of a plane crash which killed Papua New Guinean pilot Captain Leslie Sefuve in Indonesia on Saturday.
Sefuve, his Indonesian co-pilot and six passengers died in the crash. The only survivor was a 12-year-old boy who is now recovering at a Jayapura hospital.
PNG Accident Investigation Commission chief commissioner Hubert Namani said the late Sefuve was a “highly experienced pilot” who had once worked with the commission as an aircraft accident investigator.
“The Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee has commenced an investigation. The PNG AIC will provide assistance to the committee in accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation relating to the pilot as a citizen of PNG,” Namani said in a joint statement with Civil Aviation Minister Alfred Manase.
“Like PNG, West Papua has some of the most challenging terrains and unpredictable weather faced by pilots anywhere in the world. The health and wellbeing of the people in rural areas is dependent on the services of the dedicated men and women flying aircraft into remote towns and villages, to take essential supplies and services to these communities.”
Manase said governments and the people appreciated the work of pilots who served rural communities by delivering goods and services through air transportation.
“Therefore, we all recognise the essential and important role that airlines and pilots play in our development.”
Manase and Namani expressed and the country’s condolences to the late Sefuve’s family.