I’m sorry, I’ll read that again
JAKARTA – The co-pilot of an ill-fated Garuda plane which crashed killing 21 people has used the “I can’t recall†defence, claiming he was unconscious during the critical last seconds of the flight.
He has withdrawn his earlier claims that the plane was travelling too fast when the Garuda Indonesia Boeing 737 slammed onto the runway at Yogyakarta airport, careered into a rice paddy field and exploded in flames on March 7, 2007.
Co-pilot Gagam Jahman Rochman yesterday withdrew his earlier statements to police, as he testified in the trial of his captain Marwoto Komar in Slemen District Court, Yogyakarta.
Komar is fighting charges he deliberately crashed the jet.
“I withdraw the dossier which stated that the plane was too high and too fast,†Gagam said.
“I also withdraw the dossier which stated that the pilot didn’t make any effort to lift the plane.
“In the dossier it was said that Marwoto tried to reach the runway by making the plane dive – that is also withdrawn.â€
He said he was influenced by media opinion in his earlier comments, and admitted he was unclear about the chronology of events and did not read his police statement fully before signing it.
Gagam also said he was not aware of what was happening in the plane’s final moments because he had passed out.
“It was all because of the mass media, which said that the plane was too high,†Gagam told the court.
“When I yelled go around, after that I passed out not long after that.
“I regained consciousness when the plane was already past the runway.
AFP reported that Gagam, who has failed to show up at two previous court hearings, appeared to be ill during his three-hour court appearance, and almost fainted during a break.
Indonesia’s National Transport Safety Committee last year found Komar ignored 15 automated alarms before he landed at about twice the safe speed.
Ian Jarrett
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026