Adhie could not provide details about the enginetrouble and could only relay that the president'smilitary secretary Lieutenant General Budhy Santosohad informed him that the plane's was landed in orderto check one of the engines. "There was no problem.Actually, the president still could continue thejourney with the three other engines of the plane. But because the plane is carrying our head of state,we have to be very certain on this matter," Adhiesaid.
Due to the emergency landing, the president wascompelled to continue the journey to Canberra onQantas Airlines' Boeing 737. Adhie denied that therewas any likelihood of sabotage involved. "There's nosabotage. The president is still able to continue hisschedule," Adhie said.
The Antara News Agency reported earlier that there wasa leak of the oil pipe on the Boeing 707 that wasflying the president's delegation. Apparently, theleak caused the plane's fourth engine to shut down. "Landing at the nearest airport was the best choice atthat time," the president's military secretary BudhySantoro told the press in Darwin, today (25/06).
The Boeing 707 left Halim Perdanakusumah airport inJakarta for Sydney on Sunday (24/06) at 10.00 pm.After two hours flying, the pilot discovered a leak onthe plane's oil pipe. Therefore, Budhy stated, one ofthe plane's engine had to be shut down to preventfurther troubles.
He also said that the airplane could still could flythe president with only three engines. However, thismight take 1.5 hour longer than the scheduled time.
Meanwhile, the director-general of presidentialprotocol and consular affairs Rachmat Ranuwijaya saidthat President Wahid and his delegation would stillcontinue the journey from Darwin to Canberra thisafternoon. The delegation would use three AustralianAir Force Falcon jets. Some other delegation memberswould use Garuda Airline's planes flown in fromDenpasar, Bali.
Rachmat said that the delegation would arrive inCanberra and be received in a state ceremony. Meanwhile, talks between President Abdurrahman Wahidand Australian Prime Minister John Howard have beendelayed till Tuesday. The delegation will thencontinue the journey to New Zealand and thePhilippines.