The photo was of her husband, Wahyu Aldilla, 32, and their oldest son Zerdan Fahrizi, 4. Wahyu had sent Putri the photo when he and their son were watching the AFC U-19 Cup soccer match between Indonesia and Japan at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Senayan, Jakarta, on Sunday (28/10/2018).Putri did not talk much. She ignored a spoonful of rice offered by her mother. “Please eat, this is for the baby in your womb too,” said Fatma, her mother.
Putri is five months pregnant with her third child. Upon hearing the words of her mother, the employee of the Integrated One Stop Service and Investment Office in Bangka Belitung province ate the rice.
After eating, she walked to the Disaster Victim Investigation command post. She carried with her a copy of her family card in a red folder. A police doctor asked her for details about her husband and son. Putri answered all the questions, frequently breaking into tears.
Putri did not initially know that two people she loved were on the aircraft. The plane, which should have flown them from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang, crashed in the sea off Karawang, Karawang regency, West Java, on Monday morning.
Fatma said Putri previously spoke to her husband and Zerdan via a video call. Her son had been crying and asking to go home. “Possibly because Zerdan was longing for his mother.”
They last communicated when the two were about to board the airplane on Monday morning.
Also at the command post, Mala Koma Sari, 51, was subdued. Her second oldest daughter, Emma Ratna Putri, was listed as a passenger on the Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplane.
Emma had been studying at the Indonesian International Islamic University in Depok, West Java. She had finished her studies and was due to graduate. After that she planned to take the civil servant test at the Pangkal Pinang Prosecutor’s Office. Her test was scheduled for Monday.
”The plan was to meet her, but God had other plans,” Mala said.
Before the accident, Mala had communicated with Emma. Mala had not been concerned about Emma flying as she often traveled by plane, including to France once on a vacation.
Monday morning should have been a joyous time for Mala, when Emma was expected to arrive home in Pangkal Pinang. However, Mala was shocked to realize that the ill-fated airplane was the one transporting her daughter.
What was felt by Putri and Mala was also felt by hundreds of relatives of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplane waiting at Depati Amir Airport. Several of them fainted and had to be treated in the first aid room.
Wedding ring
A gold ring worn by Lutfiyani Eka Putri, 23, was still shiny even though her hand was repeatedly used to wipe tears from her eyes. She had worn the wedding ring for just two weeks after marrying Deryl Fida Febrianto, 22.
“I just got married to Deryl two weeks ago, but two days after our wedding he had to go to Jakarta. We didn’t have time for a honeymoon,” said Lutfiyani in Surabaya, East Java, on Monday.
Lutfiyani said that Deryl had to fly to Pangkal Pinang to work as a helmsman on a cargo ship.
“After twice trying to enlist in the military, my husband accepted the job on the cargo ship. On Monday, Deryl was to start his first job after his marriage.
Flight crew
Deep sadness was also felt by Yulmahdi, 51, a resident of Cisoka, Tangerang regency, Banten. His only daughter Mery Yulinda was on the plane.
Mery was one of the five cabin crew members on flight JT610. The other four were Shintia Melina, Citra Novita Anggelia, Alfiani Hidayatul Solikah and Fita Damayanti. The planed was flown by pilot Bhavye Suneja and copilot Harvino.
“I have a headache. It feels like it will break. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know the whereabouts of my daughter,” said Yulmahdi.
Yulmahdi was not weeping, but his eyes were getting increasingly bloodshot. He looked very sad after leaving the Crisis Center in Terminal 1B of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. Relatives accompanied him toward the departure lounge. He apparently did not return to the crisis center.
“I’m confused as to where to go,” said Yulmahdi.
He registered at the crisis center, but could not obtain information on the whereabouts of the airplane or his only daughter. Last month, Mery, who had been a Lion Air flight attendant for nearly five years, presented a gift to her father and mother in the form of a house in Cisoka. They previously lived in Cengkareng.
“For the last several months, my daughter rarely came home as she had to fly to various regions. Therefore, she bought us a house in Cisoka. We just moved into the new house last month,” said Yulmahdi.
On Sunday, Mery returned home to the new house and set off for work again on Monday. “We just met for a moment,” Yulmahdi said.
News about the crash of flight JT610 also made Novi Cahyadi, 44, leave his office in Jakarta. The co-pilot of the airplane, Harvino, was her youngest brother. ”I hope my brother will be found alive,” said Novi, who got the news at about 9 a.m. on Monday.
Vinni Wulandari, 36, the youngest sister of the victim, shared Novi’s sentiment. At that time she just got news from the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) that the search activities for the victims were ongoing. While still hoping, she also waited for the latest news from the airport authorities through relatives.
The airplane was carrying 181 passengers of various professions, ranging from judges and police officers to tax officers and civil servants.
Waiting for certainty
Endo Prabowo, 59, is putting hope in search and rescue efforts. He is anxiously waiting for news about his daughter, Christi Prabowo, 30. ”I just came out of the crisis center. I just registered. Now I am waiting for further news about the whereabouts of my daughter,” he said.
Christi, his youngest daughter, worked at state air navigation firm AirNav at Depati Amir Airport. ”She was in Jakarta to attend a two-day meeting and was to return to Pangkal Pinang this morning,” said Endo.
Uncertainty made some of the victim’s relatives stay at the command post rather than move a hotel room provided by Lion Air.
(PIN/RAM/SYA/E19/E21/ART)
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