MOSCOW, October 22 (RIA Novosti) – The Indonesian air force has intercepted an Australian light aircraft with two people on board, which had violated the country’s air space, the Australian media reports on Wednesday.
The civilian plane was detected this morning by radar off southern Maluku in eastern Indonesia, ABC news quoted Indonesian air force spokesperson, First Air Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, as saying.
The light aircraft Beechcraft 95, owned by South Australian businessman Richard Maclean, was on its way to the Philippine island of Cebu from the Australian city of Darwin.
The owner was on board, though another individual operated the plane. Both passengers were interrogated by military investigators.
"They don't have a letter of clearance allowing them to enter Indonesian airspace," ABC news quotes another air force spokesperson, Hadi Cahyanto, as saying.
"But because they are civilians, not military, we have handed them over to the airport authorities for investigation," he added.
It remains unclear whether the passengers will face any charges.
