Jakarta Holds an Emotional Briefing as Families Await Final Air Crash Report
On the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 10, Jakarta’s air‑accident investigators will sit down with relatives of the 62 souls lost in last month’s Sriwijaya Air disaster. The briefing comes just before the preliminary findings are released that afternoon.
We’re in the Midst of a Tragedy
- The 26‑year‑old Boeing 737‑500 plunged into the Java Sea moments after taking off from Jakarta.
- This marks Indonesia’s third major airline crash in a little over six years.
- Investigators are still hunting for the missing memory unit from the cockpit voice recorder.
What Families Heard So Far
Rafik Alaydrus, whose wife tragically perished in the crash, told reporters that, at Tuesday’s meeting in Pontianak, keep‑alive investigators admitted the cause of the disaster had not yet been nailed down.
They highlighted that the aircraft’s autothrottle system – the part that automatically regulates engine power – might have played a role, and that pieces of that system were shipped overseas for a deep dive.
Autothrottle Drama (or Not)
Sources close to the probe revealed that the flight data recorder (FDR) flagged a hiccup in the autothrottle on one engine. In a twist that caught little ones off guard, the FDR showed the pilots attempted to coax the stubborn throttle back into action instead of cutting it off.
“If one engine’s throttle goes nuts while the other remains smooth, the plane can run as wildly as a roller coaster,” a safety expert mused.
Investigators Say “We’re Still Working on It”
KNKT chief Soerjanto Tjahjono fired back at a previous claim by the Wall Street Journal that the autothrottle was at fault. “That story is for sure wrong,” he said. “We’re putting up more data in the upcoming preliminary report.”
When Air Crashes Happen, Things Take Time
- Typically, air‑accident reports don’t lock in a final verdict until a year after the incident.
- Experts agree most tragedies stem from a tangled mix of factors, often far longer than a quick press release can untangle.
Families: Get Their Justice Before the Story Unfolds
“Everyone is just trying to understand what happened and get the right compensation,” Rafik said. As families wait for the official verdict, they’ll hopefully see the truth laid out in plain, human terms.
