AirAsia Indonesia flight to Singapore goes missing with 162 on board
Air search for missing AirAsia jet suspended
(about 4 hours later)
A Singapore-bound AirAsia Indonesia jet carrying 162 passengers and crew members lost contact with air-traffic control on Sunday morning, prompting Indonesian authorities to launch search and rescue operations.
BEIJING — With the disappearance Sunday morning of yet another plane from Southeast Asia, the day unfolded here with scenes that have grown tragically familiar: the series of news conferences by government and airline officials, the mounting of a huge search-and-recovery operation, the families gathered at the airport tearfully awaiting word.
The Singapore Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement that the plane — an Airbus A320-200 — “lost contact with Jakarta air traffic control” at 7:24 a.m. local time (7:24 p.m. Saturday in Washington), about an hour before its scheduled landing at Changi Airport. Contact was lost about 42 minutes after takeoff from Surabaya’s Juanda International Airport, an Indonesian Ministry of Transportation official told Indonesia’s MetroTV, according to the Associated Press.
Indonesian authorities launched then had to suspend an air search for an AirAsia plane carrying 162 passengers and crew after it lost contact Sunday morning with air-traffic control.
The official, Hadi Mustofa, said the plane was believed to be over the Java Sea when it lost contact. In a statement, AirAsia said that “the aircraft was on the submitted flight plan route and 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.”
By nightfall Sunday, Indonesian officials said they had spotted no sign of the plane in the area over the Java Sea but had to stop their search, hampered by bad weather and darkness. The air search was to be continued Monday morning.
Update: #QZ8501 missing en route to Singapore. Satellite images show some stormy weather along route. pic.twitter.com/YoTFWbh8GL — WeatherBug (@WeatherBug) December 28, 2014
Flight QZ8501 — an Airbus A320-200 jet — was bound for Singapore and lost contact at 6:17 a.m. local time (6:17 p.m. Saturday in Washington). The break in communications occurred 42 minutes after takeoff from the Indonesian city of Surabaya and roughly an hour before its scheduled landing at Changi Airport, Indonesian authorities said.
Update: #QZ8501 missing en route to Singapore. Satellite images show some stormy weather along route. pic.twitter.com/YoTFWbh8GL
AirAsia said in a statement that the plane’s pilot had requested to deviate from the submitted flight plan because of weather before communication was lost.
— WeatherBug (@WeatherBug) December 28, 2014
Flight QZ8501’s disappearance comes on the heels of two other major airplane disasters this year — all with a Malaysia connection. AirAsia is a budget airline based in Malaysia, although the plane that lost contact belonged to AirAsia’s Indonesian affiliate.
There was bad weather where #QZ8501 was flying. But 100s of airliners fly through bad weather daily. Not necessarily related. — Airline Reporter (@AirlineReporter) December 28, 2014
In March, Beijing-bound Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared, with 239 people on board; it is still missing. In July, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine; all 298 people aboard died.
There was bad weather where #QZ8501 was flying. But 100s of airliners fly through bad weather daily. Not necessarily related.
AirAsia — a low-cost Asian carrier bought and relaunched in 2001 by its current chief executive, Tony Fernandes — has never suffered a fatal accident. Over the past decade, it has become a strong regional competitor, with short flights and cheap tickets throughout Southeast Asia.
— Airline Reporter (@AirlineReporter) December 28, 2014
In a written statement, AirAsia said the captain of Sunday’s Flight QZ8501 had “a total of 6,100 flying hours and the first officer a total of 2,275 flying hours” under their belts.
Djoko Murjatmodjo, Indonesia’s acting director general of transportation, said at a news conference in Surabaya that the pilots had asked to ascend to 38,000 feet because of clouds, according to the Guardian. Six minutes later, the official said, the plane went missing from the radar. He said there was no distress signal from the cockpit.
The airline added that the plane underwent “its last scheduled maintenance” on Nov. 16.
The flight took off early Sunday morning from Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city, with 155 passengers, two pilots, one engineer and four flight attendants on board, according to AirAsia, a Malaysia-based budget carrier. There were 16 children and one infant among the passengers, the airline said. All but six passengers and crew members were Indonesian, AirAsia said; three were South Korean, and there were individuals from Malaysia, France and the United Kingdom on the plane, as well.
In a statement early Sunday, the plane’s manufacturer, Airbus, said that it is assisting with the investigation and that the plane had accumulated about 23,000 flight hours in about 13,600 flights.
Lee Hsien Loong, the prime minister of Singapore, said that he’d called Indonesian President Joko Widodo to offer his country’s assistance.
Djoko Murjatmodjo, Indonesia’s acting director general of transportation, said at a news conference in Surabaya that the pilots had asked to ascend to 38,000 feet because of clouds. Minutes later, the official said, the plane went missing from the radar. Indonesian officials said there was no distress signal from the cockpit.
Called Pres @jokowi_do2 to offer help. Two RSAF C-130 search & locate aircrafts are on standby. Our ministers will follow up. – LHL #QZ8501 — Lee Hsien Loong (@leehsienloong) December 28, 2014
Although Indonesian officials placed the lost contact at 6:17 a.m., Singapore authorities and AirAsia in an initial statement placed it at 6:24 a.m. — a difference in time that has not been explained.
Called Pres @jokowi_do2 to offer help. Two RSAF C-130 search & locate aircrafts are on standby. Our ministers will follow up. – LHL #QZ8501
The plane was still under the control of Indonesia Air Traffic Control when it lost contact.
— Lee Hsien Loong (@leehsienloong) December 28, 2014
The flight took off early Sunday from Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city, with 155 passengers, two pilots, one engineer and four flight attendants, according to AirAsia.
Saddened to hear of missing flight #QZ8501. My thoughts are with the passengers and their families. – LHL — Lee Hsien Loong (@leehsienloong) December 28, 2014
All but six passengers and crew members were Indonesian, the airline said; three were South Korean, and there were also individuals from Malaysia, France and Singapore on board. The passengers included 16 children and one infant.
Saddened to hear of missing flight #QZ8501. My thoughts are with the passengers and their families. – LHL
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that he called Indonesian President Joko Widodo to offer his country’s assistance. Malaysia and Australia also offered to help.
— Lee Hsien Loong (@leehsienloong) December 28, 2014
White House spokesman Eric Schultz said President Obama, who was on vacation in Hawaii, “has been briefed on AirAsia Flight 8501 and White House officials will continue to monitor the situation.”
In its statement, AirAsia said the captain in command of the flight “had a total of 6,100 flying hours and the first officer a total of 2,275 flying hours.” The airline added that the Airbus A320-200 underwent “its last scheduled maintenance” on Nov. 16.
Secretary of State John F. Kerry, in a tweet, said, “Our hearts and hopes are with the passengers and families of AirAsia QZ8501.”
We have been informed of an event and all efforts are now going towards assessing the situation. — Airbus (@Airbus) December 28, 2014
“Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers,” AsiaAir’s chief executive, Fernandes, wrote on Twitter, “we must stay strong.” He later tweeted that he was headed to Surabaya and would provide “information as we get it.”
We have been informed of an event and all efforts are now going towards assessing the situation.
A spokesman for the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, Terry Williams, said, “We are aware of the missing airplane and are monitoring the situation.” Williams said that, if asked, the agency would provide assistance to investigators.
— Airbus (@Airbus) December 28, 2014
In April, AirAsia officials apologized for a column in the company’s in-flight magazine, which boasted that the carrier’s pilots would never lose a plane because of their “continuous and very thorough” training. “Rest assured that your captain is well prepared to ensure your plane will never get lost,” the column said, according to the Associated Press.
In a statement early Sunday morning, Airbus said it “will provide full assistance to the French safety investigation authority, BEA, and to the authorities in charge of the investigation.” The aircraft builder said the plane had accumulated about 23,000 flight hours in approximately 13,600 flights.
AirAsia Executive Chairman Kamarudin Meranun expressed “deep regret and remorse” for the article, which went to press before Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared. After social media backlash, the issue of travel 3Sixty magazine was immediately withdrawn by the airline, according to AP.
This has been an especially difficult year for Malaysian carriers. Beijing-bound Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared in early March, with 239 people on board. The plane is still missing nearly 10 months later.
“Once again, apologies,” Fernandes tweeted at the time. “It has been a difficult time for all in the industry.”
And in July, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine; all 298 people aboard the plane died. According to the AP, AirAsia has never lost a plane before.
Du Lac reported from Washington.
“Thank you for your thoughts and prays [sic],” the company’s chief executive, Tony Fernandes, wrote on Twitter. “we must stay strong.”
Very sad to hear that AirAsia Indonesia QZ8501 is missing. My thoughts are with the families. Malaysia stands ready to help. — Mohd Najib Tun Razak (@NajibRazak) December 28, 2014
Very sad to hear that AirAsia Indonesia QZ8501 is missing. My thoughts are with the families. Malaysia stands ready to help.
— Mohd Najib Tun Razak (@NajibRazak) December 28, 2014
Currently at @airasia HQ to support our team in this moment of crisis. Let us lend our support to them #PrayForQZ8501 pic.twitter.com/R4k69tbyoL — Liow Tiong Lai (@liowtionglai) December 28, 2014
Currently at @airasia HQ to support our team in this moment of crisis. Let us lend our support to them #PrayForQZ8501 pic.twitter.com/R4k69tbyoL
— Liow Tiong Lai (@liowtionglai) December 28, 2014
#staystrong @AirAsia – Our thoughts and prayers are with all family and friends of those on board QZ8501. — Malaysia Airlines (@MAS) December 28, 2014
#staystrong @AirAsia – Our thoughts and prayers are with all family and friends of those on board QZ8501.
— Malaysia Airlines (@MAS) December 28, 2014
In April, AirAsia officials apologized for a column in the company’s in-flight magazine which boasted that the carrier’s pilots would never lose a plane because of their “continuous and very thorough” training. “Rest assured that your captain is well prepared to ensure your plane will never get lost,” the column said, according to the Associated Press.
AirAsia Executive Chairman Kamarudin Meranun expressed “deep regret and remorse” for the article, which went to press before Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared. Following social media backlash, the issue of travel 3Sixty magazine was immediately withdrawn by the airline, according to the AP.
“Once again, apologies,” the chief executive Fernandes tweeted at the time. “It has been a difficult time for all in the industry.”
White House spokesperson Eric Schultz said President Obama, who is on vacation in Hawaii, “has been briefed on AirAsia Flight 8501 and White House officials will continue to monitor the situation.”
Herman Wong in Washington and David Nakamura in Hawaii contributed to this post, which has been updated multiple times.
