Indonesia’s ministry of transport believes all 48 occupants of an ATR 42-500 have survived a runway excursion during take-off in Papua which badly damaged the turboprop.
But the ministry says “several” of those on board were injured during the accident at Serui airport.
The Trigana Air aircraft (PK-YSP) came to rest on rough ground, on its fuselage underside following the collapse of its landing-gear.
It had been bound for Sentani, with 42 passengers and six crew members, on 9 September.
“Initial information is that all passengers and crew on board are safe,” says directorate general of air transportation head Kristi Endah Murni.
But he says a number of the occupants were injured and transported to hospital.
The aircraft had landed from Biak at 10:19, the ministry states, and started taxiing for departure from runway 28 at 10:35.
Just 1min later, it adds, having travelled 1,200m along the runway, the aircraft “skidded to the left”.
“The cause of the aircraft’s skidding is still under investigation,” says the ministry. Weather conditions at Serui at the time of the accident have not been confirmed.
Originally delivered to German carrier Eurowings in 1998, the ATR 42 was subsequently transferred to operators including Poland’s EuroLOT before being introduce to the Trigana fleet in 2018.
