BALI, June 10 (RIA Novosti) – Passengers on an Indonesian airliner had a lucky escape on Monday after surviving when their aircraft crashed on landing and broke in half, local news website Detik.com reported.
The Chinese-made MA60 turboprop operated by Merpati Nusantara Airlines was carrying 46 passengers, AP reported, when it made a hard landing at the El Tari airport in East Nusa Tenggara, capital of Kupang.
Several passengers were injured, but no fatalities were reported after the plane undershot the runway.
The airport will be closed for at least four hours until the plane can be removed, local transport authorities said. An investigation is underway.
In 2011, Indonesia banned MA60 aircraft from three airports on safety grounds, after one crashed killing 25 people.
