Search Resumes for Missing AirAsia Plane

Indonesia resumed the search on Monday for an AirAsia plane carrying 162 people that went missing after its pilot failed to gain permission to alter course to avoid a storm cell during a flight from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore.

AirAsia flight QZ8501 did not issue a distress signal and disappeared five minutes after requesting a change of course on Sunday, government and transport officials said.

Air Force spokesman Hadi Thahjanto said two C-130 Hercules planes were focusing their search efforts in areas northeast of Indonesia's Bangka island, which lies roughly halfway between Surabaya and Singapore, in the Java Sea.

Singapore said it had sent two naval vessels to help look for the Airbus A320 operated by Indonesia AirAsia, adding a C-130 took part in the search on Sunday.

Malaysia would send three naval vessels and a C-130 to assist, Singapore's Channel News Asia reported. An Australian P3 Orion surveillance plane left Darwin to join the search, ABC Australia radio said. The United States, Britain, South Korea and India also offered help.

"We have been coordinating with parties from Singapore, Malaysia and Australia who have (expressed) a willingness to assist," Tataog Zainuddin, director of operations at the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency, told Reuters news agency.

Onboard flight QZ8501 were 155 Indonesians, three South Koreans, one person each from Singapore, Malaysia and Britain, while the co-pilot was French.

There was bad weather in the area at the time and the aircraft had been flying at 32,000 feet before asking to fly at 38,000 feet to avoid clouds, said Joko Muryo Atmodjo, air transport director at Indonesia's transport ministry.

Permission had not yet been given due to traffic in the area, and five minutes later, at 6:17 am local time on Sunday, the plane lost contact with air traffic control, Atmodjo added.

The pilot "was requesting deviation due to en-route weather before communication with the aircraft was lost," the airline said.

"We are cooperating with the relevant authorities to the fullest extent to determine the cause of this incident," said Indonesia AirAsia chief executive Sunu Widyatmoko.

Source: Reuters