Plane Skids Off Runway in Indonesia, Several Passengers Injured

On Monday, a Trigana Air ATR-42 aircraft with 48 people on board skidded off the runway in Papua, a remote region in Indonesia’s eastern area, injuring several passengers, according to police reports.

The flight was departing from an airport in the Yapen Islands regency, heading to the Papuan capital, Jayapura, when the incident occurred.

The Southeast Asian archipelago is known for its challenging aviation safety record, and Papua’s mountainous terrain and frequent poor weather conditions further complicate flying in the region.

The plane was carrying 42 passengers, including an infant, and six crew members.

“Thank God everyone survived and has been taken to a hospital for a health checkup,” said local police chief Ardyan Ukie Hercahyo in a statement.

“We are investigating the incident and working with relevant parties to prevent such occurrences in the future,” the local search and rescue agency stated.

Some passengers were injured and traumatized by the event. Indonesia relies significantly on air transport to link its many islands, with Papua being especially challenging to access.

In 2015, a Trigana Air crash in the region resulted in the deaths of all 54 people aboard.