Indonesian woman who lost boyfriend in Lion Air crash goes ahead with their planned wedding

JAKARTA - An Indonesian woman who lost her boyfriend in last month's Lion Air plane crash near Jakarta went ahead with their planned wedding alone, to fulfil his last wish.

Hospital staffer Intan Syari, 26, and late boyfriend Rio Nanda Pratama, a medical doctor, had hired an event organiser named "Adiela" and decided on Nov 11 as their wedding day.

Rio, 26, was among the 189 people on board Lion Air Flight JT610 that crashed 13 minutes after take-off from Jakarta on Oct 29. The plane was bound for Pangkal Pinang. He was returning home after attending a conference in Jakarta.

It was Indonesia's worst aviation disaster since a Garuda Indonesia plane crashed in Medan in 1997, killing all 234 people on board.

Ms Intan wrote on her Instagram account @intansyariii that before leaving for Jakarta to attend the conference, Rio jokingly told her: "If I don't return by Nov 11, go ahead wear your wedding dress that I chose for you, wear a beautiful make-up, ask for a fresh white rose from Ms Sheila (wedding organiser), and take good photos. Then send the photos to me."

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Photos of Ms Intan at the Nov 11 wedding, wearing a white wedding dress and a white hijab and holding white roses went viral on social media in Indonesia. One of the photos was Ms Intan showing her wedding ring to the camera.

"There is sadness that I cannot describe, but I have to smile for you. I shall not mourn. I have to stay strong like you always told me," Ms Intan added.

She also said in another posting with the picture of her and a sister of Rio: "Although you are not beside me, your sister was with me to fulfil your most beautiful last wish. I know you are happy up there..."

Ms Intan disclosed her age and her would-be husband's to The Straits Times, while confirming her posting on Instagram.

She told The Straits Times that her late boyfriend was a medical doctor at Bakti Timah hospital, in Pangkal Pinang, where she works in the finance department.

"He was a nice person and always wanted to help patients... He always reminded me... that in the world, nothing is eternal," Ms Intan said.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.