A video showing jet fuel pouring from the right wingtip of a Garuda Indonesia Boeing 737-800 at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has gone viral since Saturday, 24th of August.
The video was first uploaded by Indonesian musician Kunto Aji on his X (formerly Twitter) account. In a post that has garnered at least 2.7 million views, jet fuel can be seen gushing from one of the plane’s wings. Aji captioned the clip: “My life was just saved. Thank God I still have time. [The jet fuel leak] was discovered, [the plane] turned back, [and] the flight was stopped. This is so scary.”
In a follow-up X post, Aji later wrote that the Garuda Indonesia staff swiftly managed the situation: “Arrived safely at the destination. Handled well by the airline, immediately changed planes, and [the passengers] didn’t wait [for] too long, [around] 30 minutes.”
Garuda Indonesia‘s President Director, Irfan Setiaputra, confirmed the incident, stating that the flight was GA-174 on the Jakarta-Pekanbaru route. The plane was scheduled to depart from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at 11:50 Jakarta time and arrive at Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport at 13:35.
“In connection with the video circulating on social media regarding one of Garuda Indonesia’s fleets experiencing a spill or overflow of avtur (aviation) fuel on one side of the aircraft, we can confirm that the flight was GA-174 on the Jakarta-Pekanbaru route,” Setiaputra stated in an official press release.
Setiaputra further explained that the leak was discovered by the Pilot in Command (PIC) during a routine procedure to verify the jet fuel levels in the aircraft as part of the final checks made by the flight crew before takeoff. This procedure is part of the safety management manual before the plane takes off.
“Upon learning of the issue, which was also reported visually by a passenger, the PIC, prioritising safety and security, decided to Return to Apron (RTA) for a thorough inspection related to the fuel spill or overflow indications,” Setiaputra added.
Nyawa gw baru aja diselamatkan, Alhamdulillah masih ada umur, ketahuan, puter balik gajadi terbang. Serem banget ini. pic.twitter.com/rzv4S86LuY
— M Z K U N (@KuntoAjiW) August 24, 2024