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Indonesian Jet Makes Emergency Landing Due to Navigation Problems

Posted on: Tuesday, 13 September 2005, 09:00 CDT

Indonesian jet makes emergency landing due to navigation problems

JAKARTA, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- A Boeing's MD-80 passenger plane with more than 130 people onboard made an emergency landing on Indonesia's West Sumatra province Monday due to navigation problems.

The plane landed on the Air Force's Tabing Airport which is located only 15 km from its original destination of Minagkabau Airport in the provincial capital of Padang, reported the Detikdom online news service.

"The landing is forced by navigation problems. It's most likely that one of the passengers used cellular phone during the flight," Yohannes, a staff with airport operator Angkasa Pura, was quoted as saying.

The plane belongs to local budget carrier Wings Air.

When contacted separately, Wings Air spokesman Hasyim Arsal Al- Habsy said the IW-8730 made a stopover at the Tabing Airport due to bad weather, denying an emergency landing.

But reports said ambulances and fire trucks approached the plane when it touched down the runway at the Tabing Airport.

No one was injured in the incident.

The government has urged air operators to boost flight safety following the crash of a Boeing 737-200 in the North Sumatra capital of Medan last week that killed 150 people.

The Jakarta Post newspaper reported Monday the government has grounded four Boeing 737-200s operated by four different airlines due to problems found in those aircraft.

Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS

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