Pilot and co-pilot killed in Indonesian navy's small plane crash

JAKARTA, Sept 9 (Bernama): The pilot and the co-pilot of a small plane of the Indonesian Navy were killed after the plane went down into the waters off East Java province on Wednesday, Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy Admiral Yudo Margono said on Thursday, reported Xinhua.

"Both of them (the pilot and the co-pilot) were dead," the admiral told a press conference.

The plane, a G-36 Bonanza T-2503, crashed in the Madura Strait of the province during an air defence exercise in the water, according to the navy.

Margono said that the bodies of the pilot and the co-pilot were inside the plane when the wreckage of the aircraft was found.

"Both of them were still sitting in their chairs in the plane. The wreckage was lifted this (Thursday) morning from the sea," said Margono.

The Indonesian navy deployed ships, helicopters and divers in a search operation to find the wreckage and the two personnel, but strong currents at the scene on Wednesday hampered the mission, according to the admiral. - Bernama