Aviation in Indonesia to KLM, which created the "KLM Interinsulair Bedrijf" (Interinsular Service). The Republic of Indonesia declared its independence on 17 August 1945 and the war of independence ensued. After enduring five years of war and securing recognition of Indonesian Independence in late 1949, the aviation service reopened for business. The "KLM Interinsulair Bedrijf" was nationalized by the Indonesian government in December 1949 as Garuda Indonesia, the national airline of the republic, and began to operate air services in the Indonesian archipelago. In the early years of the Indonesian Republic, Garuda Indonesia dominated the air transport service in the country, connecting major
Garuda Indonesia Flight 152 Garuda Indonesia Flight 152 Garuda Indonesia Flight 152 was a scheduled domestic Indonesian passenger flight from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta to Polonia International Airport in Medan, North Sumatra, operated by Garuda Indonesia using an Airbus A300B4 registered PK-GAI. On 26 September 1997, Flight 152, on final approach into Polonia International Airport, crashed into mountainous woodlands from Medan during low visibility caused by the 1997 Southeast Asian haze. All 234 passengers and crew were killed. The crash site was in a ravine near the village of Buah Nabar in the Sibolangit district south of Medan. With 234 fatalities, it is