TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The head of the National Search and Rescue Agency or Basarnas, Vice Air Marshal Muhammad Syaugi, shed tears in a dialogue with the families of victims of the ill-fated Lion Air JT 610 aircraft.
“We will continue to evacuate and ask for prayers to be given strength,” he said at Ibis Hotel in Cawang on Monday, November 5.
The chairman of the National Transportation Safety Committee, Soerjanto Tjahjono, also shed tears. “I asked the team to treat the items well. After the investigation, the items will be returned to the families,” he said.
One by one, the families of victims complained about the information difficulties and claimed that there was no assistance from Lion Air. “Pak Rusdi has failed as the owner of Lion Air,” said the father of Johan Ramadhan, a victim.
Read: Day 8 of Lion Air Search, 1,324 Personnel Deployed
A family member of the head of the Harbour and Port Authority Office (KSOP) Muntok West Bangka, Capt. Muas Effendi, complained about the request for data by the investigating team. He said he encountered difficulties during the data collection.
The Corporate Communications Strategic of Lion Air, Danang Mandala Prihantoro, said that his party had provided assistance to the victims' families.
He also hoped the families of passengers and flight crew were given strength and fortitude in accepting the ordeal, and that the SAR personnel could successfully evacuate the victims.
Lion Air opens a crisis center and passenger information at (021) 80820002.
CHITRA PARAMAESTI