IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Indonesia Plane Crash Toll Jumps Past 140; Aging Air Force Reviewed

Indonesia is to review its aging air force fleet as the death toll from the crash of a military transport plane jumps past 140.
Get more newsLiveon

Indonesia is to review its aging air force fleet, the president announced Wednesday as the death toll from the crash of a military transport plane jumped past 140.

The C-130B Hercules aircraft, which went into service half a century ago, plunged into a residential area of the city of Medan on Tuesday, throwing a renewed spotlight on Indonesia's woeful air safety record.

The air force has grounded its remaining eight C-130Bs until investigators discover the cause of the crash.

"There must be an evaluation of the age of planes and defense systems," President Joko Widodo tweeted as crews worked through the night to recover the dead from rubble of twisted metal and smashed buildings.

Gallery: Military Plane Crashes in Indonesia Neighborhood

The TVOne news channel said that 141 body bags had been brought to a hospital near the crash site, all but two of which contained complete bodies.

Officials said the Hercules, which plunged into houses and a hotel two minutes after take-off, had been carrying 122 people which would suggest around 20 were killed on the ground by the impact of the plane.

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.

According to the Aviation Safety Network, 10 fatal crashes involving Indonesian military or police aircraft have occurred over the last decade.