Stewarts’ Aviation team of London, UK is investigating the circumstances surrounding the loss of Sriwijaya Air Flight SJ 182 on 9 January 2021 with 62 people on board.
The Boeing 737-500 aircraft was operating a domestic flight from Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to Pontianak (Borneo) when contact was lost minutes after take-off. This is the country’s third major airline crash in a little over six years and the first major air loss in Indonesia since the Lion Air 737 MAX in 2018, throwing Indonesia’s air safety record into question. Between 2007 and 2018, the European Union banned Indonesian Airlines from operating in EU airspace following a series of crashes and concerns over poor oversight and maintenance.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all the families of the passengers and crew at this difficult time.
Drawing upon our extensive experience of obtaining record levels of compensation for bereaved families in previous accidents involving Boeing aircraft and accidents occurring in Asia, Stewarts’ Aviation team is investigating the circumstances of this crash. We have helped Indonesian families following nearly every major aviation disaster in Indonesia in the last 15 years. This includes the losses of Adam Air Flight 574 in 2007 (Indonesia- Makassar Strait), Garuda Airlines Flight GA200 in 2007 (Indonesia), Adam Air Flight 292 in 2008 (Indonesia), Sriwijaya Air Flight 290 in 2008 (Indonesia), Lion Air Flight FT-904 in 2013 (Indonesia), AirAsia flight QZ8501 in 2014 and Lion Air Flight JT610 in 2018 (Indonesia).
“We expect the airline to hand over control to their insurers, who will instruct defence lawyers,” says Sarah Stewart, Partner. “Accidents like these normally have a chain of causes, which is why the black boxes are essential evidence to understand the sequence of such catastrophic events. Most air accidents are caused by a combination of factors that can take months to establish. While it is too early to determine the factors responsible, it will be important to consider maintenance and engine records, pilot rosters and training, weather conditions, air traffic recordings and other data, as well as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Stewarts will be providing confidential family briefings to interested families on all aspects of the official investigation, our independent investigation, potentially responsible parties, and the timeline for resolving claims against those parties.
International aviation claims are run by Sarah Stewart (Partner), Peter Neenan (Partner), Rebecca Smith (Senior Associate) and Kieran Mercer (Associate), frequently with Floyd Wisner (Attorney, The Wisner Law Firm) who have specialist knowledge of international carriage and foreign jurisdiction issues.
You can find further information regarding our expertise, experience and team on our Aviation pages.
If you require assistance from our team, please contact us or alternatively request a call back from one of our lawyers by submitting this form.
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