INDONESIAN AIR PLANE WITH 155 PASSENGGERS MISSING
Jakarta, 6 Rabi’ul Awwal 1436/28 December 2014 (MINA) – Indonesian Air Asia jet A320-200 has gone missing on a flight from Surabaya, Indonesia, to Singapore, Sunday morning. The Ministry of Transport confirmed the plane lost contact 8 minutes after take off, while some reports said 45 minutes after.
The Director of Center Public Communication of the ministry said his department is still tracing the plane, as it suspected lost between tanjung pandan, Belitung island, or near the area.
“Total passengers amounted to 155 people with the details of 138 adult passengers, 16 children and one baby,” General Manager of PT Angkasa Pura I Juanda, Trikora Hardjo, told reporters at Juanda Airport, Surabaya.
The Indonesia air transportation director said the plane requested to increase altitude to 38,000 feet from 32,000 feet to “avoid clouds.”
According to flight tracking website Flightradar24, the jet was flying at the regular cruising altitude for most jetliners — 32,000 feet — when the signal was lost.
The plane, flight QZ8501, which reportedly had 155 people on board, lost contact at 7:24 a.m. local time near Belitung Island, Indonesia, according to a statement from AirAsia. It was scheduled to land in Singapore at 8:30 a.m. local time.
The aircraft was on the submitted flight plan but was requesting deviation due to enroute weather before communication with the aircraft was lost while it was still under the control of the Indonesian Air Traffic Control, AirAsia said.
Family members starting to arrive at the Surabaya airport waiting for ‘miracle’ news coming ahead on their beloved passenggers. (T/R04/R03)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
