Indonesian and French defense ministers agree to deepen cooperation to maintain regional stability

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — The defense ministers of France and Indonesia agreed Friday to work more closely to maintain regional stability, Indonesian officials said.

Visiting French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu and his Indonesian counterpart, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, agreed in a meeting that the two countries can collaborate through technology exchange and other forms of cooperation, Indonesian Defense Ministry spokesperson Brig. Gen. Frega Wenas said.

The French Embassy in Jakarta said earlier this week that France had deployed a carrier strike group to Indonesia for the first time. The Charles De Gaulle, France’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, made stops in Bali and Lombok, where it carried out a number of logistical activities as part of a six-month mission in the Pacific that started in November 2024.

The Charles De Gaulle also participated in a joint exercise with warships from eight countries in the Straits of Malacca, Sunda, and Lombok, the embassy said.

Last July, French air force planes made a stopover in Indonesia’s capital as part of a visit to Southeast Asia that was meant to display France's commitment to security in the Indo-Pacific region amid growing Chinese maritime activity there.

Military cooperation between Indonesia and France has grown in recent years, since President Prabowo Subianto was still serving as Indonesia's defense minister.

Last year, Indonesia purchased 42 Rafale and Dassault Aviation fighter jets and is expected to receive the first Rafale jets under the contract in 2026. It also announced the purchase of two French Scorpene Evolved submarines and 13 Thales Ground Control Interception radars. Five of the radar systems are expected to be installed in the country’s new capital, Nusantara.

The purchases come as tensions are rising in the region, particularly in the disputed South China Sea, where China is asserting its expansive territorial claims. While Indonesia is not a claimant state, it has clashed with China over fishing rights near the Natuna Islands, which lie within its exclusive economic zone but are also claimed by China.

The South China Sea contains crucial shipping lanes, abundant fish stocks and undersea mineral resources. Efforts between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to establish a code of conduct to prevent conflicts have seen little progress.

France's Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu, right, and Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin salute the national flags as they inspect honor guards during the welcoming ceremony prior to their meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

France's Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu, right, and Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin inspect honor guards during the welcoming ceremony prior to their meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, left, and France's Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu attend a wreath laying ceremony prior to their meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

France's Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu, left, shakes hands with Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin during their meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

France's Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu, left, walks with Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin as honor guards salute after their meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, left, shows the way to France's Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu as they inspect honor guards during the welcoming ceremony prior to their meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

DENVER (AP) — A Frontier Airlines plane hit and killed a pedestrian on the runway of the Denver International Airport during takeoff, airport authorities said, sparking an engine fire and forcing passengers to evacuate.

The plane, on route from Denver to Los Angeles International Airport, “reported striking a pedestrian during takeoff at DEN at approximately 11:19 p.m. on Friday," the airport's official X account wrote.

A spokesperson for the airport said the pedestrian, who jumped a perimeter fence, has died. They said the unidentified person was hit two minutes after entering the airport. The person is not believed to be an airport employee.

“We're stopping on the runway,” the pilot tells the control tower according to the site ATC.com. “We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire.”

The pilot tells the air traffic controller they have “231 souls” on board and that an “individual was walking across the runway.”

The air traffic controller responds that they are “rolling the trucks now" before the pilot tells the tower they “have smoke in the aircraft. We are going to evacuate on the runway.”

Frontier Airlines said in a statement flight 4345 was the one involved in the collision and that “smoke was reported in the cabin and the pilots aborted takeoff.” It was not clear whether the smoke was linked to the crash with the pedestrian.

“The Airbus A321 was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members,” the airline said. “We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities.”

Passengers were then evacuated via slides and the emergency crew bused them to the terminal. The airport spokesperson said 12 passengers suffered minor injuries and five were taken to local hospitals.

Denver Airport said the National Transportation Safety Board had been notified and that runway 17L, where the incident took place, will remain closed while an investigation is conducted. It is expected to open later today.

The pedestrian death came a day after a Delta Air Lines employee was killed while on the job at the Orlando International Airport. In a statement, the airline said the employee was killed Thursday night without providing details of the incident nor the name of the employee.

“We are focused on extending our full support to family and taking care of our Orlando team during this difficult time,” the airline said. "We are working with local authorities as a full investigation gets underway to determine what occurred.”

FILE - A Frontier Airlines jetliner taxis down a runway for take off from Denver International airport on Nov. 25, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)