Posted on 03/07/2007 4:34:52 PM PST by blam
Jet sabotage 'possible': PM
March 8, 2007 - 10:21AM
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Foul play cannot be ruled out of the Yogyakarta air crash that killed at least 22 people including, it is feared, five Australians, says Prime Minister John Howard.
"There is no evidence that I am aware of suggesting it was sabotage or a terrorist attack, but it's impossible for me to rule out anything," Mr Howard told ABC radio this morning.
Among the missing is Jakarta-based Australian Federal Police officer Brice Steele, one of Australia's most senior counter-terrorism experts, as well as AFP agent Mark Scott.
An emotional Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Kelty this morning revealed that Mr Brice was the manager of the Jakarta office, and one of the two most senior AFP officers serving overseas.
At least 22 people died when the Garuda Airlines jet exploded in flames after crash-landing at Indonesia's Yogyakarta Aiport, on the main Indonesian island of Java, yesterday.
Miraculously, 118 people escaped the inferno that engulfed the plane as it ploughed into a rice paddy after over-shooting the runaway.
Witnesses and survivors say the plane appeared to approach the runway too fast and was shaking violently, hitting the runway hard twice, bouncing over a road and slamming into paddy where it burst into flames.
Australians survivors evacuated
Sydney Morning Herald journalist Cynthia Banham, who was dragged from the plane on fire and with a broken back, was today flown to Perth for specialist burns treatment. Another Australian survivor, Hong Kong-based businessman Roger Tallboys, 63, has been evacuated to Singapore.
Two RAAF personnel, Michael Hatton, 47, and Kyle Quinman, 23, got out of the flaming fuselage with minor injuries.
But grave fears are held for five unaccounted for Australians.
Missing are Australian Financial Review journalist Morgan Mellish, Australian embassy spokeswoman Liz O'Neill and AusAID's Allison Sudrajat, as well as the AFP officers, Steele and Scott.
"They're not confirmed dead, although as each hour goes by we must recognise that the prospects are diminishing," Mr Howard said.
"It's not looking good, to say the least, in relation to those people."
Those sentiments were echoed by an emotional Mr Kelty this morning.
Race to identify dead
Mr Kelty said AFP disaster victim identification experts would work with Indonesian authorities to identify the dead as quickly as possible.
Choking back tears, Mr Kelty said that while "you never give up hope" the chances of the missing Australians being found alive were increasingly remote.
"We just hope that something might turn up today, but as time goes on that becomes less likely," he said.
"It's important to remember not only Australians involved here, there are also Indonesians.
Mr Howard said Australia had offered extra medical assistance to help Indonesia treat crash victims.
"The Indonesians have indicated that they will be very ready to take that up if it is needed," Mr Howard told the Nine Network today.
Mr Howard said Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer had visited hospitals in Yogyakarta and spoken to the crash victims.
"He assured me that what was happening was a meticulous check was being made of the hospitals in Yogyakarta to make absolutely certain that people who are now unaccounted for were not there," Mr Howard said.
'Not time to raise safety record'
Mr Howard said Australia had offered to help with the air crash investigation and now was not the time to pressure Indonesia over its poor air safety record.
"Bear in mind that many Indonesian lives have been lost in this tragedy,'' he said. "The most valuable thing I can do at the moment is to make sure that all possible help is being offered, not to make rushed judgments, (and) to understand that countries that are not as well developed as Australia obviously have greater difficulty with infrastructure in these areas.
Mr Howard said he personally knew some of the Australians involved in the crash, including journalist Cynthia Banham.
"Yes I do know her quite well, and I knew Morgan Mellish, and one of the federal police people I've dealt with, I've known him,'' Mr Howard told Macquarie Radio.
"I think it's just a reminder that life is very unpredictable and when something like this happens it puts other things into their trivial perspective.''
Wait till we hear the cockpit recording. This may be another Egypt Air type failure
Why? Considering their rather bad safety record, I'd rule out sabotage till a full investigation is run and no other cause is found.
Anybody hear anything about the pilot's status?
"Why? Considering their rather bad safety record, I'd rule out sabotage till a full investigation is run and no other cause is found."
I flew many passenger miles with Garuda domestically back in the '70's - their pilots attitudes were a problem then and probably still are.
They would "hot dog it" on take off and landings - speed and sharp, quick turns and then offer lame excuses as to why when challenged - as I did to them regularly. To no avail.
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