Search for Missing AirAsia Plane Resumes

Indonesian government resumes Monday its search for the missing AirAsia plane with 162 people on board from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore.

The jet went missing on Sunday just after the pilot reportedly requested a change in course to avoid bad weather, GMA News Online report said.

Report said Singapore had sent two naval vessels to help the Indonesian military to look for the Airbus A320-200 operated by Indonesia AirAsia.

It added that a C-130 air force plane also took part in the search on Sunday.

Malaysia would send three naval vessels and a C-130 to assist while Australia, the United States, Britain, South Korea and India also offered help ranging from planes and navy ships to experts and investigators.

Indonesia AirAsia Chief Executive Sunu Widyatmoko expressed sadness over the incident.

“We are deeply shocked and saddened by this incident,” he said.

“We are cooperating with the relevant authorities to the fullest extent to determine the cause of this incident.”

The flight was from the Indonesian city of Surabaya going to Singapore when it lost contact with air traffic control on Sunday, Indonesian media said, citing a Transport Ministry official.

Hadi Mustofa, Transport Ministry official, said the aircraft with flight number QZ 8501, lost contact with the Jakarta air traffic control tower at 6:17 a.m local time. (2317 GMT).

It issued no distress call, officials said on Sunday.

Indonesia’s air transportation director general Djoko Murjatmodjo on Sunday said in a report that the Airbus 320-200 was carrying seven crew and 155 passengers—138 adults, 16 children and a baby, updating earlier figures.

AirAsia, in its statement on Sunday, said the passengers consisted of 149 Indonesians, three South Koreans, one Malaysian, one Singaporean and one Briton. The crew consisted of six Indonesians and one French national.

Reports added the flight had been due in Singapore at 8:30 a.m. Singapore time (0030 GMT). The Singapore airport said on its website the status of the flight was “delayed.”

The passenger jet is 49 percent owned by Malaysia-based carrier Air Asia. The AirAsia group, including affiliates in Thailand, the Philippines and India, has not suffered a crash since its Malaysian budget operations began in 2002.

Source: CNN, GMA News Online