Stations' signals interfered with flights

BATAM, Indonesia, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Ten Batam radio stations were shut down after pilots reported their signals interfered with air-traffic controller communications, officials say.

The Singapore newspaper The Straits Times reported the Batam office of the Satellite Orbit and Radio Frequency Monitoring Agency said it shut down the private stations for safety reasons.

Pilots had reported they often heard songs while flying in and out of Singapore's Changi Airport and Batam's Hang Nadim Airport.

Indonesian authorities received pilots' complaints in June and after checking into them, shut down the stations Sept. 14, the Times said.

Muhammad Sopingi, the head of the agency, said the stations were licensed but faulty equipment caused leaks that disrupted other frequencies, including civil flight communications.

"If this continues unchecked, we fear that flight disruptions in Singapore and Batam could cause casualties," Sopingi said.

Some of the stations were told to fix faulty equipment and the agency is to conduct more checks before deciding whether to let the stations return to the air, the Times said.