A Trigana Air Boeing 737 passenger aircraft was hit by bullet while operating a flight to Nop Goliat Dekai Airport in Indonesia. The Boeing 737-500 with registration PK-YSC was operating flight IL-221 from Jayapura to Yahukimo when four gunshots were reportedly heard. However, after being inspected, the aircraft was cleared to operate the return flight.
Furthermore, while the aircraft was departing as flight IL-222 to Jayapura, five more gunshots were heard. However, the aircraft continued safely to Jayapura. The aircraft was inspected after landing back in Jayapura which found a gunshot hole in the bottom of the fuselage. The bullet lodged in a passenger’s seat. Fortunately, the bullet did not hit the passenger. One of the passengers was injured by a bullet splinter.
A Boeing 737-59D passenger aircraft (PK-YSC) of Trigana Air was fired upon, which was taking off from the Nop Goliat Dekai Airport (DEX), Indonesia.
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) March 11, 2023
The bullet, which pierced the fuselage of the aircraft, stuck in the passenger seat.There were no injuries in the incident. pic.twitter.com/CACwvkgpA2
The police were able to chase the perpetrators and arrested seven people. After this incident, Trigana Air management stopped its flights to Dekai and further investigation is underway. “These seven people have been arrested near the Nop Goliath Airport area. We are still carrying out further investigations and looking for evidence of firearms used to carry out the shooting,” said Senior Commissioner Ignatius Benny Ady Prabowo, Head of Public Relations at the Papua Regional Police.
“One passenger was injured by a bullet in this incident. The joint TNI-Polri team immediately pursued the perpetrators and searched the vulnerable places in the Nop Goliat Dekai Airport area,” said Ignatius.