Fadli , The Jakarta Post , Batam | Tue, 03/11/2008 1:38 AM
A passenger plane carrying 177 people skidded off the runway during heavy rain on its second landing attempt at Hang Nadim airport in Batam, Riau Islands province, on Monday.
The Boeing 737-400 overshot the runway to the right by 75 meters at 10:22 a.m.
At least one passenger, Ari, was reported to have broken his neck, but no further casualties were reported.
Ari's sister-in-law Mira said he lost consciousness after the crash and was rushed to a local hospital in Batam.
Several people were treated for shock.
Airport operations head Pantun Banjarnahor said the plane "experienced a hard landing, which led to the damage of the front landing gear".
"The plane skidded 75 meters off the runway and nearly entered the nearby forest," Pantun said.
There were 169 adult passengers on board, two children and six crew members.
One passenger, Purwanto, said the plane failed to land on its first attempt due to heavy rain.
He said the pilot's second attempt to land saw the plane bounce three times along the runway before it skidded off and came to a stop.
"Nearly all passengers became hysterical at this point," Purwanto said.
All passengers were evacuated to the passenger terminal where they were provided with lunch.
Indonesia's airline industry has grown rapidly in the past decade, with the launch of new players and a wider choice of routes across the archipelago.
But the country has suffered a string of airline disasters in recent years, raising concerns about safety standards and prompting the European Union to ban all Indonesian airlines from its airspace.
In January 2007, an Adam Air plane crashed into the sea off Sulawesi island and all 102 passengers have been presumed dead.
Adam Air planes have also experienced a number of non-fatal incidents in recent years, Reuters said.
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