Military plane crashes into homes in Indonesia as pilot ejects
Military plane crashes into homes in Indonesia as pilot ejects

A military plane crashed into homes in a remote village in Indonesia this morning (June 15).

The BAE Hawk type 209 from the Indonesian Air Force exploded in a ball of flames when it plunged into the settlement in Kampar District, Riau Province.

Footage shows people flocking to the crash site while the army and firefighters were deployed to put out the fire.

Several homes were destroyed in the crash.

Residents around the crash site said they heard a loud explosion before seeing the aircraft in flames.

No casualties were reported and the pilot managed to eject and parachute to safety.

A resident said: "The sound of the explosion was deafening.

There were people that looked like the pilot hovering in the air with a parachute open.'' Air Marshal Fajar Adriyanto, head of the Air Force Information Service, said the plane had flown five kilmotres before crash landing.

He said: "The location of the incident is five kilometres from Runway 36, RSN Pekanbaru airstrip." He added that the plane was flown by Lieutenant Flight Apriyanto Ismail from the 12th Air Force Roesmin Nurjadin Air Base in Pekanbaru.

The pilot survived after ejecting from the plane using an ejection seat.

He is currently in the Air Force Hospital receiving treatments while the cause of the accident is under investigation.

"The pilot was safe, but several houses and the aircraft were damaged," said Adriyanto.

He said that the Air Force will compensate residents for the damages.