Mark Forbes Herald Correspondent in Jakarta
SMH, March 7, 2008
FRIENDS, family and colleagues will place flowers and light candles in Australia and Jakarta this morning in memory of the five Australians who died in the Garuda plane crash a year ago.
Small ceremonies will be held at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Canberra and Australia's Jakarta embassy at 7am Indonesian time, when candles will be lit about the same time the Boeing 737 overshot the Yogyakarta runway.
There will be no speeches, just an opportunity for the close-knit communities of diplomats, police and journalists who were rocked by tragedy to remember the five popular, respected victims. All were on the flight for a visit to Yogyakarta by the then foreign affairs minister, Alexander Downer.
At the embassy's entrance, guests will pay their respects before a plaque honouring the five. A similar gathering will be held in the foyer of the department's Canberra headquarters
Jakarta-based international correspondents will also gather this evening to remember Morgan Mellish, a journalist with The Australian Financial Review who perished in the crash. Plans to establish a scholarship for reporters will be announced.
It is just one of several ways in which the memory of their five - and their passion for public service and international work - will continue.
Friends and family have established the Morgan Mellish Foundation in Australia raising funds for international and local charities. The Elizabeth O'Neill Journalism Award has been instituted in the name of the diplomat, allowing young Indonesian and Australian journalists to explore and understand each other's nations.
Leading Indonesian students have also been the recipients of study grants named after AusAid's Indonesia head, Allison Sudradjat.
Twenty-one people died in the crash and the Herald journalist Cynthia Banham was severely injured. The other Australian victims were senior Australian Federal Police agents Brice Steele and Mark Scott.
Indonesian police want the pilot, Martowo Komar, to face criminal negligence charges.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Garuda victims remembered one year on
Garuda victims remembered one year on
A private ceremony will be held in Jakarta today to mark the first anniversary of the Garuda plane crash in Jogjakarta.
Twelve months ago today, Garuda Flight 200 left Jakarta for Jogjakarta, where an attempt to land too fast caused the jet to crash and burst into flames.
Five Australians were among the 21 people killed.
They were two Australian Federal Police officers, Mark Scott and Brice Steele, AusAid's Indonesia head, Alison Sudrajat and the spokeswoman for Australia's Jakarta embassy, Liz O'Neill.
The Australian Financial Review's Jakarta correspondent Morgan Mellish was also killed.
They will be remembered in a private ceremony at the Australian embassy in Jakarta this morning.
ABC News
A private ceremony will be held in Jakarta today to mark the first anniversary of the Garuda plane crash in Jogjakarta.
Twelve months ago today, Garuda Flight 200 left Jakarta for Jogjakarta, where an attempt to land too fast caused the jet to crash and burst into flames.
Five Australians were among the 21 people killed.
They were two Australian Federal Police officers, Mark Scott and Brice Steele, AusAid's Indonesia head, Alison Sudrajat and the spokeswoman for Australia's Jakarta embassy, Liz O'Neill.
The Australian Financial Review's Jakarta correspondent Morgan Mellish was also killed.
They will be remembered in a private ceremony at the Australian embassy in Jakarta this morning.
ABC News
Safety slammed a year since Garuda crash
SMH, March 7, 2008
The sister of an Australian who died in the Garuda plane crash in Indonesia one year ago says recommendations to improve safety still have not been introduced.
The five Australians killed when the Boeing 737 overshot the runway then exploded in flames at Yogyakarta airport will be remembered in a ceremony at the Australian embassy in Jakarta.
Caroline Mellish, the sister of Australian Financial Review journalist Morgan Mellish, expressed disappointment Indonesian authorities had not moved to improve airline safety.
"The investigation itself, I believe, has been thorough," she told the Nine Network.
"Unfortunately, I don't think any of the recommendations have been followed through with in terms of extending the runway or pilot education."
Ms Mellish called for the introduction of a worldwide airline safety rating system.
"In a basic form, it would be a rating for all aviation issues - like safety, pilot safety records, even just the ratings of the planes - so people know which airline is the safest."
"Like a rating out of 10 or a star rating.
"At the moment, we just assume they are all relatively safe and no one really knows who is flying the plane or if the airline is, in fact, itself safe."
A final report into the accident by Indonesia's National Transport Safety Committee found the pilot was so fixated with landing he had ignored 15 alarms warning he was descending too rapidly.
Police in Yogyakarta last month arrested Marwoto Komar, and he has quit after an ultimatum from the airline to resign or be sacked.
He is believed to be the first pilot to face criminal charges over a crash in Indonesia.
Ms Mellish said she would mark the day by reflecting on the time she had with her brother and remembering his life.
She had avoided watching footage of the plane crash.
"I try not to focus on how he died, so I don't really see the need to see the footage," she said.
"At the moment, I like to think it wasn't as bad as perhaps it was and if I was to see the footage it would be, sort of, a stark reality of how bad the actual situation was."
Australian Federal Police officer Mark Scott, his colleague Brice Steele, diplomat Liz O'Neill and AusAID official Allison Sudradjat also died in the crash that killed 21 people.
They were part of a group of Australian journalists and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) staff taking part in a tour of Indonesia by then foreign minister Alexander Downer
AAP
The sister of an Australian who died in the Garuda plane crash in Indonesia one year ago says recommendations to improve safety still have not been introduced.
The five Australians killed when the Boeing 737 overshot the runway then exploded in flames at Yogyakarta airport will be remembered in a ceremony at the Australian embassy in Jakarta.
Caroline Mellish, the sister of Australian Financial Review journalist Morgan Mellish, expressed disappointment Indonesian authorities had not moved to improve airline safety.
"The investigation itself, I believe, has been thorough," she told the Nine Network.
"Unfortunately, I don't think any of the recommendations have been followed through with in terms of extending the runway or pilot education."
Ms Mellish called for the introduction of a worldwide airline safety rating system.
"In a basic form, it would be a rating for all aviation issues - like safety, pilot safety records, even just the ratings of the planes - so people know which airline is the safest."
"Like a rating out of 10 or a star rating.
"At the moment, we just assume they are all relatively safe and no one really knows who is flying the plane or if the airline is, in fact, itself safe."
A final report into the accident by Indonesia's National Transport Safety Committee found the pilot was so fixated with landing he had ignored 15 alarms warning he was descending too rapidly.
Police in Yogyakarta last month arrested Marwoto Komar, and he has quit after an ultimatum from the airline to resign or be sacked.
He is believed to be the first pilot to face criminal charges over a crash in Indonesia.
Ms Mellish said she would mark the day by reflecting on the time she had with her brother and remembering his life.
She had avoided watching footage of the plane crash.
"I try not to focus on how he died, so I don't really see the need to see the footage," she said.
"At the moment, I like to think it wasn't as bad as perhaps it was and if I was to see the footage it would be, sort of, a stark reality of how bad the actual situation was."
Australian Federal Police officer Mark Scott, his colleague Brice Steele, diplomat Liz O'Neill and AusAID official Allison Sudradjat also died in the crash that killed 21 people.
They were part of a group of Australian journalists and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) staff taking part in a tour of Indonesia by then foreign minister Alexander Downer
AAP
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Friday to mark a year since Garuda crash
SMH, March 6, 2008
Candles will be lit at Australia's Embassy in Jakarta on Friday to commemorate the five Australians killed in an Indonesian plane crash a year ago.
Friday marks the first anniversary of the Garuda plane crash which killed 21 people on landing in Yogyakarta on March 7, 2007.
A series of small, private gatherings will be held in Indonesia's capital to commemorate the anniversary.
At the embassy, friends and relatives of those Australians who perished will be able to place flowers near a plaque erected in their memory at the main entrance to the mission.
The five Australians had been travelling to cover a visit by Australia's then foreign minister Alexander Downer.
They were Australian Financial Review journalist Morgan Mellish, 36; diplomat Liz O'Neill, 37; Australian Federal Police agents Brice Steele, 37, and Mark Scott, 41; and AusAid Indonesia head Allison Sudradjat, 41.
Police are still probing the crash one year on, although they have indicated the 45-year-old pilot Captain Martowo Komar will face criminal charges.
The decision has sparked outrage from other pilots.
Komar is believed to be the first pilot to face prosecution over a plane crash in Indonesia, which has a poor aviation safety record.
He faces up to seven years imprisonment if convicted for the five flagged charges, which include negligence causing death and injury.
A final report by safety regulators found the pilot was so "fixated" with landing that he ignored 15 alarms and the pleas of his copilot warning he was coming in too fast.
The plane was travelling at almost double the normal landing speed.
Komar was detained at Yogyakarta Police Headquarters early last month, but released on bail two weeks later.
He could face court within weeks.
2008 AAP
Candles will be lit at Australia's Embassy in Jakarta on Friday to commemorate the five Australians killed in an Indonesian plane crash a year ago.
Friday marks the first anniversary of the Garuda plane crash which killed 21 people on landing in Yogyakarta on March 7, 2007.
A series of small, private gatherings will be held in Indonesia's capital to commemorate the anniversary.
At the embassy, friends and relatives of those Australians who perished will be able to place flowers near a plaque erected in their memory at the main entrance to the mission.
The five Australians had been travelling to cover a visit by Australia's then foreign minister Alexander Downer.
They were Australian Financial Review journalist Morgan Mellish, 36; diplomat Liz O'Neill, 37; Australian Federal Police agents Brice Steele, 37, and Mark Scott, 41; and AusAid Indonesia head Allison Sudradjat, 41.
Police are still probing the crash one year on, although they have indicated the 45-year-old pilot Captain Martowo Komar will face criminal charges.
The decision has sparked outrage from other pilots.
Komar is believed to be the first pilot to face prosecution over a plane crash in Indonesia, which has a poor aviation safety record.
He faces up to seven years imprisonment if convicted for the five flagged charges, which include negligence causing death and injury.
A final report by safety regulators found the pilot was so "fixated" with landing that he ignored 15 alarms and the pleas of his copilot warning he was coming in too fast.
The plane was travelling at almost double the normal landing speed.
Komar was detained at Yogyakarta Police Headquarters early last month, but released on bail two weeks later.
He could face court within weeks.
2008 AAP
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Mt Piddington '95
Morges too cool for school and Dom looking to make good his escape.Mt Piddington 1995
Dom.
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