Friend of QZ8501 pilot shares his thoughts
Photo shared by family friend and ex-classmate of AirAsia flight QZ8501 pilot Captain Irianto. Photo: Channel NewsAsia
Sumisha Naidu
sumisha [at] medicorp.com.sg
SURABAYA — Families of passengers and crew of AirAsia flight QZ8501 have been asked to provide DNA samples to help to identify bodies retrieved by search and rescue personnel in the Java Sea.
It has bEen a tough time for many of the relatives and friends as bodies began to arrive in Surabaya in Indonesia’s East Java island. While some want closure, others have clung on to the hope that their loved ones may still be alive, despite the odds.
They included the family of QZ8501’s pilot Captain Irianto. Otto Gia Budianto, a private pilot and a friend of Captain Irianto’s family, said: “His family is so shocked. His wife till now thinks he’s still alive. But this morning when I was at her house, she seemed better.” He added, however, that she may feel worse when the bodies arrive and she realises the situation.
Captain Otto had attended pilot school with Captain Irianto in Yogyakarta, Java, and they had stayed close ever since. Captain Irianto is Captain Otto’s second friend this year to have been involved in an aviation tragedy.
Captain Otto had also known Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, who had piloted the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. The two had met when Captain Otto had been a pilot with the Malaysian carrier.
“I’m very, very sad to hear of all these tragedies. Both their aircraft were good models and they’re all qualified and professional. But maybe God had a different plan. We can’t do much, we can only pray,” Captain Otto said.
It is still unclear what has happened to Captain Irianto or the ill-fated AirAsia jet. But the search and rescue operations continue and more bodies are expected to arrive in Surabaya on Thursday. CHANNEL NEWSASIA
