Australian Embassy
Indonesia

Australia and Indonesia Share Knowledge through Accident Investigation Courses

Media Release

30 May 2008

Australia and Indonesia Share Knowledge through Accident Investigation Courses

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer today congratulated participants of a course in Investigating Aircraft Accidents and Serious Incidents held in Jakarta from 26 – 30 May.

“Training in accident investigation is an important element in improving transport safety around the world and I am very pleased to see the close cooperation between the Australian and Indonesian safety agencies,” Mr Farmer said.

“Australia is committed to practical programs which will assist Indonesia to conduct thorough investigations of major accidents and incidents,” he said.

Captain Alan Stray and Mr Robert Kell from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) conducted the course. Senior Indonesian Accident Investigators were involved in delivering part of the course material and will in future conduct similar courses.

Mr Farmer praised the Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee for the timely and open manner in which a number of recent accident reports were published to ensure that lessons from these tragic incidents could be shared with the aviation industry as a whole.

Understanding the human factors that contribute to or cause accidents is fundamental. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has recently conducted courses in human factors for investigators and airline personnel.

“With better understanding we can work together to reduce the accident rate in various modes of transport around Indonesia,” said Mr Farmer.

The training is funded under Australia’s Rp200 billion (A$24 million) Indonesia Transport Safety Assistance Package.

Other work being carried out under the package includes air and marine safety inspector training, Search and Rescue Training and airspace and air traffic management advice.

Media Enquiries:
Jenny Dee, Counsellor (Public Affairs) tel. (021) 2550 5290 mob. 0811 187 3175