The Peninsula, "Indonesian cops quiz pilots in Garuda Airlines crash probe"

Indonesian police yesterday questioned the pilots of an airliner that crash landed in central Java last week as a transport expert raised questions about rescue efforts. Garuda Indonesia flight GA200, which had 140 people on board, overshot the runway in Yogyakarta on Wednesday and burst into flames in a paddy field, killing 21 people including five Australians.

The pilots escaped without major injuries, but aviation investigators have so far not been able to glean much information from them because of their traumatised state. The pilots showed up at the Yogyakarta police headquarters voluntarily, said police spokesman Budi Santoso. "They are available for questioning because they feel well, even though they are still a bit traumatised," Santoso said.

Antara news agency quoted co-pilot Gagam Rahman as saying he was asked 10 questions, but did not elaborate. The cockpit voice recorder from the aircraft has been sent to the United States after Australian experts failed to retrieve crucial information.