Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Garuda Crashed

A PT Garuda Indonesia plane crashed in Yogyakarta, killing at least 21 people and increasing concerns about safety of travel in Indonesia, where three planes have crashed this year. The 15-year-old Boeing Co. 737-400 plane was carrying 140 people. Rescuers evacuated 97 people, Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi said at a briefing in Jakarta today.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered an investigation into the country's transportation safety standards after two earlier crashes. In January, a 17 year-old PT Adam Skyconnection Airlines Boeing Co. 737-300 plane, carrying 102 people, plunged into the ocean off the coast of Indonesia's Sulawesi island and another plane broke up on landing in February.

Flight GA 200 originated in Jakarta and crashed as it landed in Yogyakarta at about 7 a.m. local time. There were 133 passengers and seven crew members aboard.

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