Dozens die in Indonesian plane crash

JAKARTA, May 20 (UPI) -- An Indonesian air force C-130 Hercules plane flying from Jakarta crashed into a village in East Java Wednesday, killing 98 people, the military said.

Indonesia's Antara news agency quoted an air force spokesman as saying the 98 dead included the 11 crew members, a ranking air force officer and three residents of Geplak village where the plane went down, hitting several homes while trying to land at the Iswahyudi military air base.

Antara, quoting officials, said the plane left Halim Perdanakusuma military air base in Jakarta about 5.30 a.m. with 110 passengers and 11 crew members aboard.

At least 15 of the injured, 10 of them seriously, were rescued from the burning aircraft by Wednesday afternoon, the report said.

CNN, quoting air force officials, quoted a village head as saying at least four homes were destroyed and two people in one of the homes were killed.

A staff member at the Iswahyudi hospital in Madiun was quoted as telling local media the facility received 19 people, several with serious injuries. They included air force personnel, family members of air force personnel, and civilians, he said.