Indonesia warns airline after videos appear to show intoxicated pilot
Indonesia's transportation ministry has warned an airline after videos appeared to show one of its pilots appearing to be intoxicated before a flight.
The videos, which were posted on social media, appear to show the pilot, who is identified as a captain at Indonesia's budget airline, Lion Air, stumbling and slurring his words during a pre-flight briefing.
The ministry said it had launched an investigation into the incident and had warned Lion Air to take disciplinary action against the pilot.
"We have instructed Lion Air to take immediate action against the pilot, including suspending him from flying duties," said ministry spokesperson, Adita Irawati.
The ministry also said it would be conducting a thorough investigation into the incident to determine whether the pilot was fit to fly.
Lion Air has apologized for the incident and said it would cooperate fully with the investigation.
"We apologize for the incident and assure the public that we take the safety of our passengers and crew very seriously," said Lion Air spokesperson, Danang Mandala Prihantoro.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of air travel in Indonesia, which has a poor record of aviation safety.
In 2018, a Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashed into the Java Sea, killing all 189 people on board. The crash was attributed to a combination of pilot error and technical problems with the plane's anti-stall system.
Indonesia's transportation ministry has been working to improve aviation safety in the country, but the incident has highlighted the need for greater vigilance and stricter enforcement of safety regulations.
The ministry has also called on the public to report any incidents of suspected pilot intoxication or other safety concerns to the authorities.
"We urge the public to report any incidents of suspected pilot intoxication or other safety concerns to the authorities, so that we can take immediate action to ensure the safety of air travel," said Irawati.