A startling revelation has emerged from Indonesia’s aviation sector as a report by the Guardian unveils a concerning incident involving two pilots from Batik Air who allegedly fell asleep mid-flight for approximately 30 minutes, leaving 153 passengers onboard unattended.
According to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT), the incident occurred on January 25 during a Batik Air flight from South East Sulawesi to Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. The pilot and co-pilot, both Indonesian nationals, were reported to have slept simultaneously for around 28 minutes during the two-hour and thirty-five-minute flight.
Despite the gravity of the situation, the flight did not result in any injuries to the Airbus A320’s passengers or flight attendants, although several navigational errors ensued as a consequence of the pilots’ slumber.
The Indonesian Transport Ministry’s Civil Aviation Director-General, M Kristi Endah Murni, expressed strong disapproval of Batik Air’s conduct and emphasized the importance of airlines ensuring adequate rest time for their aircrew. An investigation has been launched by the ministry to delve deeper into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The report disclosed that the co-pilot had earlier informed the captain of his insufficient rest, prompting the latter to request a brief break approximately ninety minutes after takeoff, which was granted. However, both pilots inadvertently succumbed to sleep, leaving the aircraft temporarily unmanned.
The Jakarta Area Control Centre (ACC) attempted to establish contact with the aircraft after the co-pilot’s last known transmission went unanswered for twelve minutes. It wasn’t until around 28 minutes after the last recorded communication that the pilot-in-command woke up, realizing the aircraft had deviated from its intended route. Subsequently, the pilots resumed communication with the ACC, citing a “radio communication problem” during the flight.
The pilot-in-command, aged 32, and the second-in-command, aged 28, were identified in the report, although their names were not disclosed. Following the incident, flight BTK6723 landed safely, and standard procedures were followed to ground the flight crews pending further investigation.
In response to the incident, Batik Air assured the public of its commitment to safety and announced the suspension of the involved pilots, stating their dedication to implementing all safety recommendations and operating with an adequate rest policy.
Sources By Agencies
