The radar screen looked like it was invaded by fireflies, as it lit up with the approach of airplanes into Soekarno-Hatta airport on that Wednesday afternoon, May 9. Dozens of white lights blinked on the dark background of the screen, indicating 40 airplanes in motion, either on the runways or in the skies over Jakarta.

I Nyoman Oka Wirana, an air traffic controller in the East Terminal, had to monitor all of those white dots, each of which was su