DUSHANBE, July 2, 2015, Asia-Plus – Tajik President Emomali Rahmon yesterday offered condolences to Indonesian President Joko Widodo over the deadly plane crash that caused multiple casualties, according to the Tajik president’s official website.
In his cable of condolences, Rahmon also asked to convey deepest condolences of the people of Tajikistan to the people of Indonesia.
According to international media outlets, the death toll from the crash of a military transport plane in the north of Indonesia climbed to 141.
The Hercules C-130B aircraft, which went into service half a century ago, was carrying 122 people on Tuesday when it ploughed into a residential area in the city of Medan shortly after taking off from an airbase.
A military spokesman said 135 people were confirmed dead, including all those on board the plane. The MetroTV news channel said at least 141 bodies had been brought to a nearby hospital, indicating around 20 people were killed on the ground.
The plane had been on its way from an air force base in Medan, one of Indonesia”s largest cities, to Tanjung Pinang in the Riau Islands off Sumatra. Media said the pilot had asked to return to the base because of technical problems.
President Widodo ordered an in-depth investigation into the cause of the incident and a “fundamental restructuring” of weapons management and procurement.
According to the Aviation Safety Network, 10 fatal crashes involving Indonesian military or police aircraft have occurred over the last decade.
