Merpati Flight Experienced Engine Failure in Sentani

By Dian Hendrina Kandipi Sentani, Jayapura, Papua (Antara) - Engine failure forced Merpati Airlines aircraft to cancel its flight to Jakarta and Surabaya on Monday and hundreds of its passengers to be accommodated at hotels at Sentani, Jayapura. One of the passengers heading for Surabaya Wahyudi said that he and other passengers are now staying in a hotel in Sentani at thje expense of the airline company. "We were scheduled to depart at 11.00 (GMT+9) from the Sentani airport, but before we boarded the plane, we were informed that the flight was cancelled," he said in his hotel. Wahyudi said that he is scheduled to be flown next morning on July 16 but has been given no information about the exact time of departure. "What is certain is that our accommodation and lunch are provided by the airline," he said. Wahyudi said that the flight to Surabaya would pass pass Makasar in Sulawesi. Wahyudi was scheduled to board the Merpati Airlines MZ767 heading for Jayapura (DJJ) - (SUB) at 11.00 local time, but by 13.00 the passengers were not yet instructed to board the plane. Besides the Jayapura-Surabaya flight, other Merpati flight route of Jayapura-Jakarta with a transit in Timika was also canceled due to an engine failure. In fact the plane already took off but had to land immediately back because one of the engine failed to function. Until now, the Merpati Airlines has not yet informed about the cancellation of the two flights. (*)