Sriwijaya Air's plane was almost hit by a motorcyclist in Dili

Presidente Nicolau Lobato Airport officials and police arrested a man who allegedly tried to crash into a Sriwijaya Air plane in Dili, East Timor. TEMPO/ Raimundos Oki

Dili - An aircraft belonging to the Sriwijaya Air airline with the route Denpasar - Dili, East Timor, was almost hit by a local resident, who was driving a black Honda Revo moped.

This happened when the plane was landing at Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport, Comoro, Dili, on Monday, October 14, 2019.

A staff security guard on duty at the airport gate said he did not see when the perpetrators entered the runway area. "The perpetrators were seen when they were in the middle of the runway," the officer told Tempo on Monday, October 14, 2019.

The perpetrator whose initials CdJ was driving a speeding motorbike and dealing with Sriwijaya Air aircraft. There were about a hundred passengers on board, including two diplomats.

The two diplomats came from the Hellenic Republic, Costantina Coliau, and from Bosnia Herzegovina, Asmira Merdanovic Halilovic.

The perpetrator allegedly attempted to crash into an airplane with a motorbike being driven even though it was unsuccessful because it was first prevented by airport officials. This incident occurred at around half past two in the afternoon Timor Leste time.

The CdJ initials from Railako District, Munisipio Ermera. The motorbike driven by the perpetrator does not have a license plate.

The perpetrators entered the airport arena via post one, which was actually guarded by officers, and headed east. At that time, Sriwijaya's plane had landed in the west area and would spin to the east area.

The perpetrators rode their motorcycles so fast that they were confronted by Sriwijaya aircraft.

But this attempt failed because the security officers chased the perpetrators and kicked down the motorcycle he was riding. At that moment, the pilot immediately stopped in the middle of the runway.

According to information, this Sriwijaya Air plane was carrying 6 flight attendants and around one hundred passengers. The perpetrators are now in the Dili police detention cell to undergo the interrogation process.

A version of this article was published in TEMPO.CO, Jakarta.
https://dunia.tempo.co/read/1259686/pesawat-sriwijaya-air-nyaris-tertabrak-pengendara-motor-di-dili