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Assistant Operation of the Air Force Chief of Staff Air Vice Marshal Henri Alfiandi made a press statement in Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base, Jakarta on Sunday (Jan 10, 2021). ANTARA

The Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) has found oil spills, allegedly from the crashed Sriwijaya airplane,  south of Laki Island, Seribu Islands District, Jakarta.

"We can see the anomalies or contrast of color on the sea surface. I assumed that it was an oil spill," Assistant Operation of the Air Force Chief of Staff Air Vice Marshal Henri Alfiandi said at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base, Jakarta after conducting an air surveillance on Sunday.

Indonesian Air Force personnel conducted air surveillance around the waters off Laki Island aboard two helicopters EC-725 Caracal from Air Squadron 8 Atang Sendjaja Air Force Base in Bogor, West Java."We use the ladder track system in a range of nine miles or some 15 kilometers, and search coverage of 3 miles from the height of 1,000 feet. We observe the locations four times," Alfiandi said.

The team has also found a lot of debris. "I am not sure the item  was sea garbage but clearly it is garbage in various types. We suspect that (the item) was part of the airplane."

Alfiandi has reported the findings to the Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Yudo Margono and the search operation post in KRI Parang-647 ship.

A Sriwijaya Air plane with flight number SJ 182 believed to have crashed on Saturday (Jan 9) in the waters off Laki Island, Seribu Islands District, not long after taking off from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.The Boeing 737-500 airplane had its last contact with the air traffic controller when it was at 10,000 feet altitude at 2:40 p.m. local time, at 11 nautical miles north of the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and crashed in the waters of Seribu Islands between Lancang Island and Laki Island.The airplane took off from the airport at 02.36 p.m, delayed from its schedule at 01.35 pm due to bad weather.

The plane, manufactured in 1994, carried 62 passengers, including 12 crew. Among the passengers were three infants and seven children. The search mission has involved Basarnas, the National Committee on Transportation Safety (KNKT), the police, military and the Jakarta administration. The Indonesian Navy has deployed 10 ships to the location,including the Teluk Gilimanuk-531 warship carrying SAR personnel and journalists, and Rigel-933 warship from the Navy's Hydrographic and Oceanographic Center (Pushidrosal)//ANT

President Jokowi offers condolences over Sriwijaya plane crash

President Joko Widodo has extended deep condolences over Sriwijaya Air plane crash in the waters of Seribu Islands on Saturday.

"I, on behalf of the Indonesian government and people, offer deep condolences over this accident," he said on the Presidential Secretariat Youtube on Sunday.

The head of state was informed of the plane crash on Saturday evening shortly after the accident occurred. Since then, he had received updated reports of the accident including developments in search for victims and debris of the plane which crashed in the waters off North Jakarta's coast. 

He later ordered his staff including the transportation minister, the chief of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) to conduct search and rescue operations immediately along with the Indonesian military and police personnel. 

"Last evening and last night I was informed by the transportation minister of Sriwijaya plane with flight number SJY 182 which crashed in the waters of Seribu Islands en route from Jakarta to Pontianak," he said.

The plane took off from Soekarno-Hatta Airport at 2.40 p.m. local time on Saturday, and was scheduled to land at Supadio Airport in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, at 3:50 p.m. Based on the manifest, the plane carried 50 passengers and 12 crew members.

The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) and the National Committee for Transportation Safety (KNKT) are in the process of trying to find the whereabouts of the ill-fated plane.The Ministry of Transportation has confirmed that airport authorities lost contact with Sriwijaya Air flight number SJY 182 serving the Jakarta-Pontianak route at approximately 2:40 p.m.

According to the ministry, tthe Boeing 737-500 jet, registration number PK CLC, had its last contact at a position 11 nautical miles north of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tangerang, in suburban Jakarta, after passing an altitude of 11,000 feet and while rising to 13,000 feet//ANT

BPK will audit the procurement and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, immediately

The Indonesian Audit Board (BPK) said it would immediately audit procurement and distribution activities for the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Chairperson of BPK Agung Firman Sampurna in an official statement to the media on Saturday (Jan 9), stated this was to ensure that these activities were carried out in a transparent and accountable manner in accordance with established regulations. 

Agung stated previously that his party had received a visit from the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises, Erick Thohir and Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin on Friday.

He stated that the meeting was held to discuss the implementation of vaccine procurement and distribution which was carried out in the emergency condition of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that occurred in Indonesia. 

In addition, they also discussed issues that are indicated as risks in vaccine procurement and distribution activities. (CNNInd/translated by PUTRI)

The Minister of Agriculture: the soybean problem is under control

Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo said the problems related to soybeans were under control, following the price hike due to reduced supply amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This was conveyed by the Minister of Agriculture during a visit to the slaughterhouse (RPH) in Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi, Saturday. 

According to him, the increase in soybean prices was due to a global contraction in the midst of the corona pandemic. In addition, soybeans have been imported and the price is cheaper than local products. 

There was also panic buying so that soybean imports entering Indonesia also decreased and had an impact on the purchase price of soybeans, he said as quoted by Antara. 

Currently, soybeans abroad are brought up by a country, so the price has increased. For this reason, the Ministry of Agriculture is now preparing for soybean cultivation. (Antara/translated by PUTRI)