Medan, Indonesia
An Indonesian jet crashed into a residential neighborhood moments after takeoff this week, killing 150 people. Around 15 passengers reportedly survived, while 48 of the dead were people on the ground. At least 20 homes were destroyed. Investigators found no initial evidence of a bomb or other terrorist attack. Witnesses said they simply saw the plane swerve and plunge. Indonesian newspapers blamed the crash on poor maintenance caused by cost-cutting. “Passengers’ safety is being sacrificed,” said an editorial in Media Indonesia. The plane, a Boeing 737, was operated by Mandala, a local budget airline partly owned by the government.
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