The US Ambassador to Indonesia, has offered the help of the US, in locating the flight recorders of Adam Air’s downed plane. The plane crashed in bad weather off the west coast of Sulawesi. Here’s more from the Jakarta Post.
U.S. pledges to help R.I in retrieving black box
JAKARTA (JP): U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia B. Lynn Pascoe said Tuesday that they are ready to help Indonesia retrieve the black boxes from the crashing Adam Air aircraft.
“We only assist if they ask to. We are looking forward to help,” Pascoe said after a meeting with Transportation Minister Hatta Rajasa at the Ministry’s building.
He said that under the International Law, recovering the black boxes had become the call of the Indonesian government and not the U.S.
“Retrieving the black boxes is not an easy feat as it could cost a couple of millions (of dollars),” Pascoe added.
USNS Mary Sears has caught the signals from the black boxes of the jetliner, which carried 102 people, using its advanced Towed Pinger Locator.
The radar detected that the flight data recorder (FDR) was located 1,800 meters while cockpit voice recorder (CVR)was located 2,000 below.
Hatta Rajasa said that the Indonesian government was at the second phase of the mission, which is to recover the flight data recorders.
“We are waiting for the input from the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) on what kind of technology needed to salvage the boxes,” Hatta told reporters.
“On Wednesday, KNKT will meet with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to discuss about the project,” he said, adding that the U.S. possessed the devices to salvage the black boxes but their availability was still questioned.
“The deep location will not make the black boxes move. Even if they move, they will not move far.” (Alvin)
