Search for AirAsia QZ8501 - teamwork counts

From local fishermen who provided initial clues about the whereabouts of the jet, frogmen given just 25 minutes to dive 30 metres into the waters of the of Karimata Strait to the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team at the police hospital in Surabaya, all have contributed to giving clarity to families whose loved ones were aboard the flight.

That they devoted their time and energy for the past week, putting their families and New Year celebrations behind their professional responsibilities, is a great sacrifice that we should cherish and acknowledge. The mission, under the coordination of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), is a dignified humanitarian task showing great respect for the victims.

With the US, Singapore, Malaysia, France, Russia and South Korea lending a helping hand, we are witnessing multi-national cooperation. Not only does foreign assistance accelerate the search, it also reflects acknowledgment that we cannot and do not necessarily have to do it alone.

With the support of friendly neighbours, 34 bodies of victims had been discovered and evacuated to enable their families to pay their last homage.

We hope that many more bodies and the aircraft, along with its flight-data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, known as the black box, will soon be discovered. The sooner the bodies and the black box are found, the greater the DVI team’s chance of identifying the victims and unraveling the mystery behind the accident.

Also in evidence have been concerted measures among various domestic institutions, which often are elusive. 

Basarnas chief Vice Marshal Henry Bambang Sulistyo, for example, said that he had deliberately involved the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKK Migas), an unusual move in disaster situations. SKK Migas provided a tanker, allowing the search and rescue fleet to refuel without having to leave the operational area. 

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has forecast that high tides and strong winds will continue to challenge Basarnas and company, but their well-knit teamwork has taught us a valuable lesson.

The ongoing operation can serve as a model for future search and rescue efforts. The more institutions that offer their assistance, the more likely it is that the mission will be accomplished.

Our disaster-prone country badly needs more inter-departmental teamwork to prevent as much human loss as possible and lessen the impact of a disaster when it strikes.  

What we also need are concerted efforts to thoroughly settle speculation that some of our airlines are engaged in the practice of violating schedules. The latest statement from the transportation ministry that AirAsia was flying last Sunday without permission, which is even more devastating for the victims’ families, raises questions not only over the airline management itself, but also of the authorities involved. But the ministry’s suspicions confirm those of the common traveller, that each trip is a gamble, no matter what claims airlines make for their safety records.