Indonesian Sriwijaya Air 737 Skids off Runway at Pontianak

Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737 sits in the dirt after skidding off the runway

An Indonesian airliner skidded off the end of the runway this afternoon in the city of Pontianak, Indonesia coming to rest on its engines and causing heavy damage.

Sriwijaya Air Flight 188, a Boeing 737-400, was arriving from Jakarta in heavy rain and wind when the incident occurred:

“After it touched down and was rolling it was tilting to the right and skidded off the runway,” said Transportation Ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan.

There were 163 passengers on board the airliner.

“All passengers and crew are safe,” Ervan added. “The nosewheel is broken and the landing gear also went off into the soft soil, so the engine also is touching the ground,” he added.

A full investigation is underway and at last report the airport was still closed.

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Image: AFP